EDMONTON — Let Alberta Decide, a leading pro-Alberta independence group, bashed Elections Alberta on Tuesday, as nationalists continue to air grievances and claims that the electoral office is favouring federalist groups and targeting independence supporters. "Elections Alberta is the institution Albertans must trust to administer one of the most important votes in our history," reads an X post posted by the referendum third-party advertiser on Tuesday. "That trust depends upon independence, impartiality, transparency and equal treatment." .The post underscores weeks of complaints from Alberta independence supporters who feel that Elections Alberta is turning a blind eye to advertising-regulation infringements by Thomas Lukaszuk's Forever Canadian group, and an overarching sense that nationalists are being disproportionately targeted. "The issue is larger than Thomas Lukaszuk or Forever Canadian," Let Alberta Decide's post reads. Independence supporters claim Lukaszuk's group is violating regulations by not releasing financial contribution reports, despite advocating for Alberta to remain in Canada, which aligns with the October independence referendum.Complaints about suspected violations boiled over on July 8, when Elections Alberta issued an interpretation bulletin regarding referendum advertising regulations. "Not every advertisement that touches on the issues that are the subject of a referendum will meet the definition of 'referendum advertising,'" reads the press release attached to the bulletin. "General messages that may be associated with the issues that are the subject of a referendum, but are vague or ambiguous as to the referendum questions themselves, may not fall within the definition."Elections Alberta pushed back against individuals questioning their enforcement of advertising and other referendum campaign regulations."Elections Alberta is the non-partisan and independent office of the Alberta Legislature," reads a statement from Elections Alberta written to the Western Standard. We remain neutral on the outcome of any process; our focus and concern is the fair and non-partisan conduct of the process itself.""Elections Alberta does not decide or determine the rules and legislation for third party advertisers, this is the role of the Government. Our role is registering Referendum Third Party Advertisers and monitoring their compliance with election finance rules, as written in the Election Finances and Contributions Disclosure Act (EFCDA), read in conjunction with the Guide for Referendum Third Party Advertisers.".The referendum question, which Premier Danielle Smith claims is based on a citizen initiative petition run by Lukaszuk, will ask Albertans, "Should Alberta remain a province of Canada, or should the Government of Alberta commence the legal process required under the Canadian Constitution to hold a binding provincial referendum on whether or not Alberta should separate from Canada?" Lukaszuk claims Forever Canadian does not need to disclose their donations weekly, as part of referendum TPA requirements, because they are not campaigning explicitly on a referendum question. According to him, Forever Canadian will disclose such information at a later date as a nonprofit group. Lukaszuk further argues that pro-Alberta independence groups are the ones who have broken any laws. "Elections Alberta sanctions anyone who breaks the law," reads an X post from Lukaszuk on Monday. "So far, only proponents of separatism have been sanctioned by Elections Alberta, Law Society and only they are investigated by the RCMP for ‘borrowing’ the list of electors.".Let Alberta Decide disagrees with Lukaszuk's claims, nor do they agree with Elections Alberta's interpretation of the Election Finances and Contributions Disclosure Act. "A campaign is not transformed into something else merely by avoiding the precise wording of the ballot question," their post reads. "A province-wide effort expressly organized to persuade Albertans to vote to remain in Canada is campaigning." "Elections Alberta should acknowledge the obvious, apply the law equally and close any pathway for undisclosed, unlimited or outside money to influence Alberta’s decision."Elections Alberta pushed back against individuals questioning their enforcement of advertising and other referendum campaign regulations.
