'WE NEED MORE PEOPLE:' APP leader ignites referendum campaign with a call for support

EDMONTON — Alberta Prosperity Projected kick-started their Alberta independence referendum campaign outside the Alberta Legislature Building on Saturday, during which CEO Mitch Sylvestre said the only way they lose the vote is if they do not do the work."No politician is going to save you," said Sylvestre. "You're going to have to do it yourself, with all of us helping. This works because of numbers. It's very simple, because of ordinary people who decide that they're not going to sit this one out.""That's the entire strategy, and that's the only one that has ever worked anywhere. We need to have more votes than them. That's it. We have to stop the cheat. We have to make it too big to win because they're going to cheat." .APP leaders said Saturday was the start of their seven-week campaign to win the vote in October and give the UCP a mandate to pursue a binding Alberta independence referendum. A recent Angus Reid Institute poll showed 61% of respondents intended to vote in favour of Alberta remaining in Canada, but Sylvestre is confident in independence supporters and said the only way they lose the referendum is if "we drop the ball." Sylvestre said if each of the 300,000 APP members gets three more people to vote in favour of a binding referendum, then they will have the support needed to win. "The system that we're going to replace is pulling out all the stops,” Sylvestre said, minutes before walking off the stage with I Won't Back Down playing in the background. “All the disruption. All the games and manipulation it can muster. All of the controlled opposition that they can throw at us.” "They have money, they have power, media, but what they need to win is more votes than us. So, we can control that. We're committed, intelligent, capable, driven people-people who have a vision for a better future.".Saturday's rally included additional speakers who covered topics ranging from the religious duty for individuals to rise and protect rights and freedoms, opposition to COVID-19 vaccinations, the treatment of First Nations in Canada, and the need for Alberta to create its own constitution. "Alberta needs a constitution where human rights, and our rights, are absolute, and governments cannot trench on our rights by having judges interpret whether the exercise of our rights is reasonable or not reasonable," said Alberta independence advocate and APP executive Jeffrey Rath. "Our rights, our human rights, are our rights. They are to be absolute in a free and independent Alberta." Over 1,000 individuals gathered outside the Alberta legislature for the event, including a handful of federalists, many of whom were respectful. The one incident took place when a woman walked to the front and shouted at pastor Paul Loewen, who spoke about the religious duty for individuals to rise in defence of truth, justice, and God-given rights. "The beauty of Jesus is that it allows us to listen to the opposite side as well, and so, our prayers are with you, sister," said Loewen as the woman was escorted away by sheriffs. .APP also invited individuals to submit letters about "What it means to be Albertan," and three individuals were selected to read theirs at the rally. “Love does not require that you remain unchanged," said one of the individuals while reading his piece entitled Dear Alberta. “Sometimes loving what you have inherited means having the courage to ask what it could become.""And perhaps the tribute we can offer those who came before us is not simply to preserve their world, but to carry forward the courage with which they built it, and to build something worthy of those who will come after us."

'WE NEED MORE PEOPLE:' APP leader ignites referendum campaign with a call for support

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