Latest news with #ThomasLukaszuk
CTV News
04-07-2025
- Politics
- CTV News
‘We will definitely surpass the minimum': Lukaszuk confident anti-separatist petition can gather needed signatures
Former deputy premier Thomas Lukaszuk speaks with Alberta Primetime host Michael Higgins about his pro-Canada referendum application being approved by Alberta's Chief Electoral Officer. This interview has been edited for clarity and length. Michael Higgins: Are you already collecting signatures? Thomas Lukaszuk: No, we're not. There is a process in place. The chief electoral officer now has to decide whether the old rules, or the rules created for separatists by Danielle Smith, will apply to me. He will make that decision, and then we will take it under consideration whether we agree with it or not, and then I have 30 days to appoint a chief financial officer. The moment I appoint a chief financial officer, the clock starts ticking for collecting signatures. We don't know which clock yet, whether it be it'll be the 90-day clock under the old rules, or the 120-day clock created for separatists. MH: How much hangs on this July 4 implementation of the new legislation? TL: It's really a technicality. The premier, oddly enough, chose American Independence Day to proclaim her pro-separatist legislation. It just really changes the rules on how many signatures we have to get, and judging by the response of Canadians living in Alberta, we find that we will definitely surpass the minimum requirement — no matter which rules apply. It's always nice to have more time, 120 days to 90 days, but I think we'll be fine within 90 days. MH: The premier said that she would let the various processes play out. How do you interpret that? TL: The premier is wrong on two points. Number one, she doesn't get to speak or determine which rules apply. That is up to an independent officer of the legislature of Alberta, the chief electoral commissioner. He will make that decision, not the premier. Second of all, there are no processes. There is a process. My application was the first application filed. It was approved. And the law is clear: There cannot be two competing questions. There cannot be two competing plebiscites or referenda. So, this is the application. This is the process that's going forward. For reasons unknown to me, those who are pro-separation didn't file their application on time. So there will be a process, and no more than that. MH: The premier is leading the Alberta Next town hall tour, which is set to get underway in just a couple of weeks time. Is that a conversation that you take your petition to if it's ready to roll by that point? TL: We will bring facts to the table. There are a number of reasons why I did what I did, but I firmly believe that if we are going to have a discussion about the future of Canada, because this is not only about Alberta, this is actually the future of Canada, that conversation must be led by Canadians who actually care about the well-being of Canada as a whole and not separatists. More importantly, this conversation has to be based on facts, on laws, on economic data, and not on disinformation. This web-based survey that she put out is anything but survey. And I know, because when I lived in totalitarian Poland, there was a little joke going around: 'I have two pairs of pajamas, checkered ones and striped ones. I'm taking the checkered ones. Which ones do you want?' That's exactly the analogy. It is not polling. It is leading Albertans towards certain answers. We won't have any part of that. We will lay out the facts and I am certain that the vast majority of Albertans will not consider separation in any shape or form. MH: How much of a fight are you bracing for from those who are on the pro-separatist side? What kind of conversation do you envision evolving here? TL: I think the biggest obstacle will be our premier and her government. She devised this term, 'Sovereign Alberta within a United Canada', which is really a word salad. It means nothing. It's like me telling you I am single within the confines of my marriage. She's trying to fuel the separatist movement by passing legislation to make things easier for them — 'Wink, wink. You know I'm behind you. I'm choosing American Independence Day to proclaim this act for you', but at the same time, she's saying, 'Well, no, I'm not a separatist'. My petition will force her and her caucus to finally get off the fence and make a decision, which the premier is not willing to answer at this particular time. I don't anticipate that she will sign my petition. Although, if she truly is a loyal Canadian, if she lives up to the oath that she swore, both as an MLA and as a cabinet minister, she should sign this petition. My hopes are not high for that. MH: There are two independent MLAs who were expelled from the UCP caucus who are looking to revive the PC brand. How does that sit with you? TL: Good for them. I think it's good for democracy. I don't like the fact that we really have only two viable parties right now, the NDP and UCP. It reminds me of American politics. The more viable parties you have that offer different ideas, different perspectives, the better for democracy and for the electorate. So good on them. I'm not sure how successful they will be in reviving the party to the point where it can at least become opposition, or one day form government; building a party is a difficult process. What it will do is create a lot of additional danger for Danielle Smith because she already has the Republican Party of Alberta, which is nipping at her from the far right and taking away support there. I imagine that this Progressive Conservative Party will be a moderate centre-right party and will be stealing away support from the left side of her caucus. And let's bear in mind that Danielle Smith has a very small majority at this point in time. She has openly declared separatist MLAs and cabinet ministers in her caucus and many of her Calgary MLAs won the last election only by a handful of votes. If she loses five to seven per cent of support on either end, she is in political trouble.
CTV News
04-07-2025
- Politics
- CTV News
Alberta's new referendum rules officially take effect
The number of signatures needed for citizens to initiate a province-wide referendum is dropping. Hannah Lepine reports. Beginning Friday, the number of signatures needed for citizens to initiate a province-wide referendum is dropping, including on separation. The new threshold is 177,000 signatures collected within four months. People who want to stay in Canada and those who want Alberta to leave have already started applying for petitions. The Alberta Prosperity Project, a non-profit group promoting independence, plans to launch one under the new rules. At the same time, Thomas Lukaszuk, former progressive conservative deputy premier, is working to stop that effort. He argues separation would threaten the Canadian, as well as the Alberta economy, the treaty rights for First Nations, and would have many other negative consequences. On Monday, Elections Alberta approved Lukaszuk's application to undertake a petition for the province to declare its official policy is to remain within Canada. Since Lukaszuk applied before the new rules took effect, he'll need to collect 600,000 signatures, but he said he's confident that enough Albertans would sign their name. Smith's government introduced Bill 54 quickly after Carney's election win, but said it would have been proposed regardless of the outcome. Smith has said she wants Alberta to stay in Canada and is blaming federal policies for the separatist sentiment. Citizen initiative petitions can be found on the Elections Alberta website.
National Post
01-07-2025
- Politics
- National Post
Don Braid: Alberta's pro-Canada forces move to thwart separatists by setting referendum question
Surprise, a pro-Canada team beat the separatists to an Alberta referendum. On the eve of Canada Day, Elections Alberta approved an official signature drive on the question: Article content Article content 'Do you agree that Alberta should remain in Canada?' Article content If enough signatures are collected, there will be a full provincial vote on the question. Article content Thomas Lukaszuk, who leads the pro-Canada campaign, figures that any separatist petition is now dead in the water. Article content Article content The legislation governing these votes specifically states that two referenda on the same general subject cannot be approved. Article content Article content In other words, you can't have a vote both on whether Alberta should stay in Canada, and another one on whether Alberta should leave. Article content Elections Alberta confirms that duelling referenda aren't allowed. Article content The authority reviews applications in the order they're received, and Lukaszuk was first to submit a question that met legal requirements. Article content The separatist Alberta Prosperity Project wants the referendum question to be: 'Do you agree that the Province of Alberta shall become an independent country and cease to be a province of Canada?' Article content Lukaszuk's question is in the political category, meaning a successful vote would force Premier Danielle Smith and the UCP to accept the results. Article content Article content Article content While Elections Canada's ruling came down just before Canada Day, Smith's new referendum rules will take effect July 4, America's Independence Day. Article content That may be not be intentional, but it sure is suggestive. Article content Smith's changes ease the requirement for a referendum to 177,732 signatures, representing 10 per cent of those who voted in the last election.
Calgary Herald
30-06-2025
- Politics
- Calgary Herald
Braid: Alberta's pro-Canada forces scoop separatists, set referendum question
Surprise, a pro-Canada team beat the separatists to an Alberta referendum. Article content On the eve of Canada Day, Elections Alberta approved an official signature drive on the question: Article content Article content 'Do you agree that Alberta should remain in Canada?' Article content If enough signatures are collected, there will be a full provincial vote on the question. Article content Thomas Lukaszuk, who leads the pro-Canada campaign, figures that any separatist petition is now dead in the water. Article content Article content The legislation governing these votes specifically states that two referenda on the same general subject cannot be approved. Article content Article content In other words, you can't have a vote both on whether Alberta should stay in Canada, and another one on whether Alberta should leave. Article content Article content Lukaszuk's question is in the political category, meaning a successful vote would force Premier Danielle Smith and the UCP to accept the results. Article content 'That means no ifs, ands or buts — Alberta will remain in Canada. Article content 'It basically takes all the wind out of Smith's sails. It says you have every right to negotiate with Ottawa, but you don't have the right to hold a gun to Canada's head.' Article content
Yahoo
30-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Amid calls for separation, Alberta's new referendum rules set to formally take effect
EDMONTON — As Canada prepares Tuesday to blow out 158 birthday candles, Alberta plans three days later to formalize rules making it easier to have an independence celebration of its own. Beginning Friday, Premier Danielle Smith's United Conservative government is officially lowering the required threshold for citizens to initiate a provincewide referendum, including on separation. Mitch Sylvestre, CEO of the Alberta Prosperity Project, a non-profit group touring Alberta promoting independence, says he plans to apply to Elections Alberta that same day to start a petition under the new rules. The group aims to gather 177,000 signatures within 120 days to put the question on a ballot to voters: Do you agree the province of Alberta shall become a sovereign country and cease to be a province of Canada? "I would not be surprised if that referendum was held right now that we could possibly even win it," Sylvestre told The Canadian Press. He said many Albertans are skeptical Prime Minister Mark Carney will be able to restore trust after federal policies for years siphoned Alberta's resource riches elsewhere. At the same time, Thomas Lukaszuk, a former Progressive Conservative deputy premier in Alberta, is working to thwart that separatist effort. Lukaszuk, now out of politics, argues that Alberta's rules do not allow for two competing petitions on the same issue. "There's only one petition at a time, so mine precludes theirs," he said. Lukaszuk has already applied to start a petition under the existing law, which would require 600,000 signatures. If his application to Elections Alberta is approved, he's confident that enough Albertans would sign their name to have the provincial government declare its official policy is to remain within Canada. Sylvestre said he will be submitting papers for the second time on Friday. He said he believes Lukaszuk's petition effort might delay the push for Alberta independence but believes it will fail to gather so many signatures within the old threshold of 90 days. Recent polls have suggested that support for separatism in Alberta hasn't reached majority territory. But, Sylvestre said, interest in holding an independence referendum is growing with each speaking event they organize. "The more people that hear what the message is, the more people that will be in favour," he said. Elections Alberta has said each application is evaluated in the order received but cannot comment on the applications submitted so far. Legal experts say a vote to sever ties with Canada would toss the country into uncharted waters, potentially prompting complex negotiations among governments and First Nations. Smith's government introduced the bill quickly after Carney's election victory earlier this year but said it would have been proposed regardless of the outcome. In defending her legislation, Smith said the growing number of Albertans unhappy with Confederation are right to be frustrated, and she wants to see more opportunities for direct democracy. She has long said she wants her province to be sovereign within a united Canada. That's a phrase Lukaszuk calls meaningless. "That's like me saying, 'I am single within the confines of my marriage,'' he said. Asked earlier this week what her government could do to quell separatist aspirations, Smith said it was Ottawa's responsibility to reverse policies she said stifle energy production and investment in Alberta. In recent months, she has called for Carney to abolish several federal policies and programs, including a proposed greenhouse gas emissions cap, net-zero electricity grid regulations and the West Coast tanker ban. "This is really in Ottawa's hands," Smith said Thursday. While Lukaszuk said Smith is entitled to negotiate with the federal government, she shouldn't use the threat of secession as leverage. He said the UCP's referendum legislation is dangerous and could open a Pandora's box of ballot questions, including some that may backfire on Smith's government. This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 30, 2025. Lisa Johnson, The Canadian Press
