Mitch Sylvestre, leader of the separatist group Stay Free Alberta, announced that his organization has submitted a petition to trigger a referendum on secession across the province. The petitions were delivered to Elections Alberta in a convoy of seven trucks, according to Sylvestre. The submission marks a critical milestone for the separatist movement, which has been gaining momentum in recent years.
Sylvestre reported that the petition contains almost 302,000 signatures. This far surpasses the 178,000 required under Alberta's referendum rules. The delivery attracted a crowd of more than 300 supporters, who waved provincial flags and chanted 'Alberta strong', according to the organizer.
Elections Alberta must now verify and certify the signatures to ensure they are valid. Premier Danielle Smith has stated that if the petition is verified, a referendum will be held on the question of secession. However, she has made it clear that she personally opposes Alberta leaving Canada.
Smith also took aim at previous federal Liberal governments, accusing them of passing legislation that restricts the province's oil output. She added that these policies have cost Alberta billions of dollars over time. Alberta First Nations have lodged a court challenge against the petition, contending that secession would violate their treaty rights.
Alberta strong
The legal filing argues that treaties with the Crown would be breached if the province separates. The First Nations argue that their rights, enshrined in historic treaties, cannot be extinguished by a provincial referendum. The First Nations maintain that a provincial referendum cannot unilaterally alter treaty rights guaranteed by the Crown.
A ruling from an Edmonton judge is expected this week, according to the First Nations' legal representatives. It remains uncertain whether the petition will ultimately lead to a vote, as both the verification process and the court decision are pending. Organizers point to recent polls indicating around 30% support for secession among Albertans.
They note that this represents a historically high level of support. They attribute this growth in support to years of federal policies they view as hostile to Alberta's long-standing interests. The movement's leaders attribute the discontent mainly to federal management of the oil industry.
They claim that federal policies have limited the province's economic potential.