Thomas Lukaszuk delivered a small mountain of paper to Elections Alberta this week — 456,365 signatures urging a formal stand to keep Alberta in Canada. It’s an impressive feat of organization and volunteer effort. It’s also not the final word on whether Albertans will face an independence referendum. First, the basics. .THOMAS: New Calgary city council sworn in; it must take the common sense approach.Elections Alberta has the petition and is now checking it line by line. Officials have up to December 7 to verify the signatures, with results due no later than January 6, 2026. That timeline matters because nothing changes until verification is done. If the petition is successful, Elections Alberta forwards the policy proposal to the Speaker. .That’s the start of a legislative process, not the end of a debate. Second, this petition met a high bar. Because Lukaszuk’s application pre-dated rule changes, his team needed 293,976 signatures — 10% of electors on the post-election list. They smashed it. .STEINKE: The disappearing voice of rural Alberta.But that old threshold applies only to this campaign. Under updated rules, new citizen-initiative petitions require signatures from 10% of votes cast in 2023, which is 177,732, making future efforts easier to launch. Here’s where the “this settles it” crowd loses the plot. A successful policy petition doesn’t bind the government to bury any other question. .By law, a committee of the legislature decides what happens next: it can recommend a report on the policy, a bill, or even sending the matter to a referendum. That is a very different pathway than a constitutional referendum proposal, which proceeds to cabinet for a vote call of its own. In other words, this petition can lead to a debate or a vote on staying in Canada, but it doesn’t block a separate push for an independence question. And that separate push exists. .MacLEOD: Calgary’s human crisis — The price of our indifference.Elections Alberta’s live docket shows an “Alberta Independence” application before the Court of King’s Bench — another reminder the independence file hasn’t gone away. Different stream, different rules, same democratic road. It’s also worth noting the government hasn’t promised to avoid a referendum. Justice Minister Mickey Amery called the Forever Canadian tally “remarkable,” then said it’s “too early to speculate” about next steps until verification is complete. .That’s cautious and correct. The law sets out processes; politicians still choose whether to use them. From a conservative perspective, that’s as it should be. We believe in democratic tools that let citizens test big ideas in daylight. .OLDCORN: Using the notwithstanding clause to end the Alberta teachers' strike was right.A petition shows enthusiasm. A referendum measures consent. Treating one as a veto over the other undermines both. If independence supporters can meet the legal standard and if the courts confirm their question fits..Albertans have every right to weigh the costs and benefits at the ballot box. Supporters of unity should welcome that test, not fear it.There’s a practical angle, too. Markets, employers, and families crave certainty..ROMAN: Ottawa attacks the provinces with a Supreme Court showdown over the notwithstanding clause.The fastest way to reduce uncertainty is to follow the rules on the books and settle the question in a clear vote if it’s properly triggered. Elections Alberta has published the timelines and thresholds. Everyone can read the same rulebook. That keeps the temperature down and the process fair..Lukaszuk’s campaign deserves credit for civic engagement. Volunteers drove thousands of kilometres to make their case. But the core point stands that a petition, even a massive one, doesn’t close the door on asking Albertans the hardest question of all. If independence organizers clear the legal hurdles, the decision belongs to voters. .PARDY: The Referendum goose is cooked.If they can’t, unity advocates will have proved their case without denying anyone their democratic say.Either way, the path forward is the same.We follow the law, publish the facts, and trust Albertans. That’s not divisive. That’s democracy.
