In a striking political irony, a campaign launched to strengthen Alberta's place within Canada may have inadvertently paved the way for the province's first-ever referendum on independence. The group Alberta Forever Canada, founded by former provincial politician Thomas Lukaszuk, has successfully petitioned for a vote that could ask Albertans if they wish to remain in the country.
The Petition That Backfired
Alberta Forever Canada was established five months ago with the explicit mission to counter the growing Alberta independence movement and "ensure Alberta remains secure within a strong and united Canada." However, this week, the group officially obtained the 293,976 signatures required under Alberta's Citizen Initiative Act, triggering a potential province-wide referendum.
As announced by Elections Alberta, voters could soon be asked: "Do you agree that Alberta should remain in Canada?" While this question appears to champion unity, it is essentially a mirror image of the one sought by separatist groups. The pro-independence Alberta Prosperity Project, for instance, has been pushing for a referendum asking: "Do you agree that the Province of Alberta shall become a Sovereign Country and cease to be a province in Canada?"
An Unintended Consequence
The net effect is that both questions would place the issue of Alberta's constitutional future directly before voters. The primary difference lies in the framing of a "yes" or "no" victory. This unintended consequence was highlighted by Alberta Premier Danielle Smith, who earlier this year warned anti-separatists that their petition would be responsible for creating a "separatist referendum."
"If you ask people if you want to remain in Alberta, yes or no, there are implications if people answer no," Premier Smith stated, acknowledging the double-edged nature of the proposed vote.
Separatists Claim an Unexpected Victory
Far from dismayed, proponents of Alberta independence are celebrating the petition's success as a major step forward for their cause. Pro-independence lawyer Keith Wilson thanked Alberta Forever Canada in a Tuesday social media post for securing "a referendum on independence."
In a November interview, Wilson praised Lukaszuk for having "expedited the process for there to be a province-wide referendum on independence," adding a pointed critique: "He did not think this through. It’s quite remarkable."
As the petition neared its signature goal in October 2025, Lukaszuk himself appeared to shift the group's stated purpose, suggesting the aim was to avoid a referendum by demonstrating overwhelming public support for Canada. "We knew that the vast majority of Albertans want to remain Canadian. Hence, we are not asking for a referendum," he said at the time. Despite this claim, the successful petition has now set the legal machinery in motion for a vote.
The situation presents a profound political paradox: a movement designed to quell separatist sentiment has, through the mechanisms of direct democracy, potentially provided the very platform its opponents sought. The coming months will determine if and how this referendum proceeds, placing the future of Confederation in Alberta squarely on the ballot.
