Alberta's chief electoral officer and a former Supreme Court justice have informed a special legislative committee that the decision on whether to hold a referendum on the Forever Canada citizen petition rests with the MLAs themselves. They clarified that the petition is a policy proposal, not a constitutional one, meaning it can be voted on directly in the legislature without needing a province-wide referendum.
Petition Deemed Policy Proposal
Gordon McClure, Alberta's chief electoral officer, and former Supreme Court Justice Russell Brown addressed the committee, stating that the petition's content qualifies it as a policy proposal. McClure emphasized, "The only option available for Mr. Lukaszuk's petition was as a policy proposal due to its content." He added that the proponent does not have the authority to decide the outcome if the petition succeeds.
Lukaszuk's Stance
Thomas Lukaszuk, founder of the Forever Canadian movement, expressed his belief that the United Conservative Party (UCP) government will still push for a referendum, despite his explicit desire for a legislative vote. Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Lukaszuk criticized the government, stating, "It is just unfortunate that our premier, our government and duly elected MLAs just don’t have the fortitude — frankly, don’t have the guts to stand up in the chamber in the legislature and declare whether they’re separatists or not."
Committee Proceedings
The Alberta NDP attempted to bring forward motions to invite Lukaszuk to speak and set a date for the next meeting, but these were rejected. Assisted Living and Social Services Minister Jason Nixon argued that calling on Lukaszuk was premature. Nixon repeatedly questioned the petition's wording, noting that the application included the word "referendum." He read from the application: "We believe the majority of Alberta residents are loyal Canadians, opposed to any form of separation; therefore, we, represented by the signature and applicant below, propose a referendum on the following question." Elections Alberta responded that the petition requires the proponent to provide reasoning separate from the question.
NDP Criticism
Alberta NDP deputy leader Rakhi Pancholi criticized the government for ignoring the voices of Albertans who signed the petition. She accused the UCP of being "clearly afraid" of Lukaszuk after denying his presentation before the committee for a second time. "The UCP is ignoring Albertans over and over again, but here’s the thing, they’re afraid of a vote in the legislature, the UCP are terrified of going on the record about whether or not they support Alberta remaining in Canada," Pancholi said.
Salary Request Denied
In a separate meeting, McClure appeared before another committee requesting a three per cent salary increase, citing increased workload from 28 recall petitions, investigations, an upcoming October referendum, a provincial election, and ongoing citizen-led petitions. The request was denied.
