EDMONTON — Prominent Alberta independence advocates are speaking out against the Alberta Prosperity Projects' drafted constitution for an independent Alberta prior to its release Thursday, claiming it does not reflect consensus for an independent Alberta. "Any new Alberta constitution should be developed by Albertans themselves, through an open and democratic process, following a successful referendum on independence," wrote Let Alberta Decide leader Keith Wilson on Thursday in response to a post promoting the APP event. .The APP is hosting an event in Airdrie at 7 p.m. on Thursday, where it is expected that CEO Mitch Sylvestre and the Black Hats will introduce a discussion paper on a draft of what the constitution for an independent Alberta could look like. "The whole idea of this whole exercise that we're doing right now is that I believe we all understand that we're not happy with the current system the way it is, that we could make it better, and that this is going to be an opportunity for us, the people, to weigh in on making the system better than it currently is, based on what's going on here in Alberta and in Canada," said Sylvestre in an interview with the Western Standard. According to a post promoting the event, the draft was created following "years of work" and involvement from leaders across the independence movement, including Sylvestre, Jeffrey Rath, Keith Wilson, Bruce Pardy, Dennis Kalma, and the Black Hats. Wilson, however, said he has not reviewed the draft and does not endorse it. Both Wilson and Kalma founded the Alberta Transition Council, a group actively working to produce a white paper detailing an institutional, fiscal, and legal framework for a smooth transition to an independent Alberta. The report is in the final stages of review. .Pardy is not endorsing the constitution either, and said it is flawed. "It is not a consensus document," wrote Pardy in a social media post. "In my opinion, it has serious flaws and is not ready. It would not make Alberta a free country." However, while both Pardy and Wilson do not approve of the draft, Sylvestre said that that is of no consequence to him. According to Sylvestre, neither Wilson nor Pardy "did any work," other than attending one of their "constitutional weekend" meetings and giving their input."To tell you the truth, it's not about Keith and Bruce," Sylvestre said. The document isn't written. It's a discussion paper. They can add to it; they can put their input in it. They're more than welcome to do that." Matthew Rowley, who is the leader of the pro-Alberta independence group Renew Alberta, echoed Pardy's claims and said the movement should focus on winning votes ahead of October. "We must be careful not to project our own desires into the future and possibly confuse people," wrote Rowley in a social media post. "I know Mitch is very well-meaning, but I do not think it is productive to release these kinds of things as though they have any long-term weight in the constitutional conversation."The APP event will be streamed online.
