Alberta residents may soon have the opportunity to vote on whether the province should separate from Canada. Elections Alberta announced Monday its approval of a referendum question posed by the Alberta Prosperity Project.
Referendum Question Approved
The proposed question asks Albertans: “Do you agree that the province of Alberta should cease to be a part of Canada to become an independent state?” The Alberta Prosperity Project, led by chief executive officer Mitch Sylvestre, will now need to appoint a financial officer by early January to begin collecting signatures.
The group has four months to gather just under 178,000 signatures to trigger a province-wide referendum. The Alberta Prosperity Project celebrated the decision, calling it a “huge victory” and a “breakthrough” in their efforts to determine Alberta’s future.
Previous Attempt and Rule Changes
This is not the first time the Alberta Prosperity Project has attempted to bring a separation question to a vote. A similar question – “Do you agree that the province of Alberta shall become a sovereign country and cease to be a province in Canada?” – was previously stalled due to a court review of its constitutionality.
The recent changes to the rules for citizen-initiated referendums, enacted earlier this month, rendered the previous court review unnecessary and allowed Sylvestre to reapply for approval without charge.
Frequently Asked Questions
What happens if the Alberta Prosperity Project collects enough signatures?
If the Alberta Prosperity Project collects just under 178,000 signatures within the four-month timeframe, the question of Alberta separating from Canada would be put to a referendum for Albertans to vote on.
What was the issue with the previous referendum question?
The previous question was held up in court for a review of its constitutionality, delaying the process of signature collection.
Who is Mitch Sylvestre?
Mitch Sylvestre is the chief executive officer of the Alberta Prosperity Project and a constituency association president for Premier Danielle Smith’s United Conservative Party.
Should the Alberta Prosperity Project succeed in gathering the required signatures, Albertans will face a significant decision regarding the province’s future relationship with Canada.
