Alberta, Natural Resources, and the Rest of Canada

Politics & Elections
261

“Do you agree that the Province of Alberta should cease to be part of Canada to become an independent state?”

That is the official question submitted to Alberta’s Minister of Justice. The wording is deliberately precise and fully aligned with Canada’s federal Clarity Act (S.C. 2000, c. 26).

With the passage of Bill 14, the court case challenging the constitutionality of a government asking a question of its own people has been rendered moot. The next step is for Alberta to approve the question and allow the collection of signatures required to trigger a referendum.

The Alberta Prosperity Project has stated it has sufficient pledges to meet the signature threshold, making success likely. If so, a referendum is anticipated to occur in October 2026.

262

As I understand it, Bill 14 removes the power of referendums from the independent chief electoral officer, and puts it in the hands of the political party in the form of the justice minister.

This means the independent office of the electoral officer will no longer be able to deny citizen-led referendum proposals if the proposed questions aren’t factually accurate, go against the Constitution or if they don’t have clearly explained subject matter statements.

This seems to be the gist of what the Conservatives in Alberta want; To let referendum questions go ahead if they aren’t factually accurate, go against the Constitution or if they don’t have clearly explained subject matter statements.

I guess some figure that this renders the actual decision that was given a week ago by Court of King’s Bench Justice Colin C.J. Feasby magically gone. Who cares if he ruled that the referendum proposal by the “Alberta Prosperity Project” violates the Canadian constitution.

So just pass a bill and violate the Canadian Constitution. I don’t think this is going to work out the way you hope it will.

263

In the unlikely event it passes, I’m sure you’ll benefit from making yourself weaker and more isolated just like Britain did with Brexit.

Oh, wait, that was a total disaster with no upside.

264

Alberta wanting to become its own country reminds me of a t-shirt I saw back in the day that said TEENAGERS: MOVE OUT NOW WHILE YOU STILL KNOW EVERYTHING

265

The independent office of the electoral office shouldn’t have any say in a citizen led referendum. It is up to the legislature who created the law and changed it when they saw it being abused from their intent.
Feasby should have, by custom, stopped the case as soon as he saw the law they were arguing was going to be removed. He chose to render an opinion immediately even though the case itself wasn’t finished. That should raise red flags in anyone.

So before accusing Albertans of “skirting the Constitution” how are citizen-led initiatives handled in your province? In most of Canada, they don’t exist at all. Disagreeing with the question is legitimate, but suggesting that Albertans are incapable of understanding or expressing their own political will is not a constitutional argument.

A referendum question does not amend the Constitution; it simply asks citizens to express their will. If this wording is somehow unconstitutional, then that argument would apply equally to Quebec. Good luck with that.

If we’re isolated from people who are directly opposed to us exploiting our resources, then the further we get from them the better.

266

No; you’ll just end up a polluted mess, and the economic tributary of nations with more productive economies. You’re literally seeking to turn yourself into a Third World nation. Small, weak and exploited.

And that’s assuming the US doesn’t just conquer you.

267

No difference then.

268

Oh. please, there’s plenty of difference. You’ll have zero input into what happens to you, you’ll be everyone’s victim. You’re just mad because the rest of Canada won’t subjugate themselves to you, but you’ll go from being a minority to being nothing in Canadian politics. Probably with some foreign-installed dictator to boot.

269

You mean like the guy with 3 passports from the WEF running the show now ?

270

No, I mean somebody who has dissenters shot or run over with tanks.

271

I’m not worried about fantasy. I’ll let you run with that. We’ll take our chances and be far better off than we are now.

272

The chance is zero. You will be worse off, in every way.

273

Its delusional to say that Albertans want independence. By ALL measures Albertans want to be Canadian. It is just one of the MANY delusions, from this group of hard core right-wing grievance mongers.

Paraphrasing Lukaszuk, there is a segment of Albertans who see this as an opportunistic way to wring federal concessions for the province; whatever you might feel about them, they can be talked and you can deal with them. However there is also a segment who are crazy MAGA nutters who want the destruction of Canada so that the US can annex us. They are beyond all reason.

274

Here’s a quote from Justice Colin C.J. Feasby about this bill:

“Changing legislation to circumvent a valid legal process commenced by the independent officer of the Legislative Assembly responsible for administering democratic processes is the antithesis of the stable, predictable, and ordered society that the rule of law contemplates, and democracy demands.”

275

Of course, right wingers the world over oppose both democracy and the rule of law.

276

Thank you. You can’t help yourselves. Rather than understand and actually address the issues and argue on facts you will attempt to malign the motives of the people who have legitimate concerns.

No one is claiming that a majority of Albertans currently want independence. Support sits in the 20–30% range at this point. Keep in mind, most Albertans haven’t been presented with the facts and the benefits they are giving up by remaining Canadian. That number will likely shift. But as it sits, it is a significant minority, and in democratic systems, minorities are allowed to organize, advocate, and test ideas through lawful processes. That’s exactly what a citizen-led referendum framework is for, which, if you are not from Alberta, you don’t have.

It’s also inaccurate to lump everyone who supports or is open to independence into one caricature. Some people see it as leverage within Confederation, some see it as a long-term contingency if the relationship continues to deteriorate, and some genuinely believe Alberta would be better off on its own. Disagreeing with those views is fair. Pretending they all share the same motives, or are somehow “nutters” is not.

What this debate really highlights is a cultural difference that often gets dismissed. Alberta is frequently described as having “no culture,” yet reactions like this suggest the opposite: there is a strong emphasis on self-determination, procedural fairness, and being treated as capable adults in a democratic system. When a lawful referendum process is mocked or its supporters caricatured as irrational, it clashes with those values. In much of Eastern Canada, political legitimacy tends to flow from institutions and authority; in Alberta, it more often flows from consent and participation. You don’t have to agree with independence to recognize that difference but denying it or ridiculing it only deepens the divide that fuels movements like this in the first place.

Where does the law derive? From Parliament. They determine the laws. The courts interpret them. When the legislature sees their laws being used outside of the purpose they created them for then they get to fix them.

On moot: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Borowski_v_Canada\_(AG) .

But I imagine that the plaintiffs can try to sue the government for doing their jobs. Good luck with that. Or they can realize that a government asking a question of their population is not a violation of the constitution.

But, remind me again what laws in your province allow citizen led initiatives?

277

Alberta independence update

Some information and answers to questions about indigenous rights and the process leading to the referendum and moving forward.

278

So, the “Forever Canada” petition for Alberta to remain in Canada needed 294,000 signatures, and got 456,000 in the time allotted.
This was done back on October 28. A citizen’s initiative to have a referendum to keep Alberta in Canada.

Now, we have another group, who is starting to collect signatures to have a referendum to remove Alberta from Canada. They only need 177,000 signatures in 114 days. Because of new legislation to make it easier on them.

So what now? We ALREADY HAVE a valid petition to have a referendum to keep Alberta in Canada. Why the hell do we need this new one?

279

Perhaps so they can both pass and nobody knows what the hell to do next? :wink:

I’m sorry to make light of a serious situation, but some circumstances are so bizarre that ridicule of the situation is the only reasonable response.

280

Because a referendum on staying in Canada is moot. We already are in Canada. It would change nothing unless the amount of ‘No’ is over 50%. But if it is over 50% then it is unconstitutional as it doesn’t meet the clarity act requirements. So, only the question asking if we want to leave Canada could possibly change anything and that is the one that will likely be asked. But it is up to the legislature to decide on the actual question and then what to do with the result.