A citizen initiative petition asking whether Alberta should remain part of Canada has officially been issued, says Elections Alberta.The initiative, titled “Alberta Forever Canada,” was issued by the chief electoral officer, Gordon McClure, proposing a question that could eventually be brought before the Legislative Assembly in Edmonton if it gets enough public support, said Elections Alberta in a news release Wednesday.“Do you agree that Alberta should remain in Canada?” reads the proposed question.Under the Citizen Initiative Act, the petition is now open for signature collection and will remain so until October 28.The petition must gather 293,976 valid signatures to be successful —representing 10% of all eligible voters listed after Alberta’s 2023 Provincial General Election, reads the release..Alberta’s Justice minister wants Elections Alberta to withdraw a referral to a court to decide legality of referendum question.Elections Alberta confirmed the appointment of a chief financial officer (CFO) before issuing the petition, as required by the Citizen Initiative Act.“As the application was approved prior to Bill 54: Election Statutes Amendment Act coming into force, the process will follow requirements set out in the Citizen Initiative Act as of June 30, 2025,” reads the release.Signature sheets and official affidavits have been issued exclusively by Elections Alberta to the initiative's proponent. Only signatures collected using these authorized documents will be considered valid.Eligible voters are allowed to sign the petition only once, within the designated 90-day window ending October 28. They must be eligible electors at the time of signing, provide their name and address legibly, personally date and sign the petition, and use original, handwritten signatures, according to the release.“A registered canvasser must witness each signature collected, sign as a witness on each signature sheet, and swear an affidavit stating to the best of their knowledge the individuals who signed were eligible to do so,” reads the release..Court to determine legality of Alberta independence question.Elections Alberta says it will not accept late submissions.More information about the petition is available on the Elections Alberta website.Alberta’s top election official asked a court to decide if another proposed referendum question about independence is allowed under the law. The proposal was submitted by a citizen named Mitch Sylvestre on July 4, asking:“Do you agree that the Province of Alberta shall become a sovereign country and cease to be a province in Canada?”Alberta's top election official sent the proposal to the Court of King’s Bench, to decide whether the question breaks any rules in the Constitution Act, 1982, which outlines the basic laws and rights in Canada.On Tuesday, Alberta’s Minister of Justice Mickey Amery asked Elections Alberta to withdraw the referral to the court, prompting the top election official to issue a statement, saying seeking the opinion of the court is an independent, neutral, and non-partisan matter, noting that it’s one of his duties under the Citizen Initiative Act.Under Alberta’s Citizen Initiative Act, people can suggest new laws or ask for referendums, as long as those ideas follow the Canadian Constitution.
