Forever Canadian partners with French Albertans ahead of potential separation referendum

The group that gathered hundreds of thousands of signatures from Albertans wanting the province to remain in Canada amid increased separatist sentiment is building a coalition to that end.

Former deputy premier Thomas Lukaszuk announced Thursday that Forever Canadian has joined forces with the French Canadian Association of Alberta (ACFA).

The president of ACFA supports the federalist cause because she believes francophone Albertans will have a better life inside a united Canada.

“We also have made gains with the provincial government but they are not enshrined in the same way as our federal protections are,” Nathalie Lachance said. “So this is why we’re here today, to ensure that our rights are protected for today and the future.”

And the new partnership could soon grow some more, Lukaszuk says.

“I have been in conversations with Chiefs and Grand Chiefs of Treaties 6,7 and 8,” he revealed. “We are of a similar mind, definitely. The First Nations have indicated that they are opposing any form of separatism.”

Earlier this month, the Assembly of First Nations indeed denounced the separatist movement in Alberta as “illegitimate” and “unconstitutional.” Several First Nation communities in Alberta are also legally challenging the legislation for citizen-led petitions in the province.

Thursday’s partnership was formed against the backdrop of a bubbling separatist sentiment in Alberta. Stay Free Alberta, the group wanting to leave Canada, is continuing to gather signatures. It has until May 2 to get 177,000 of them.

Smith, Nenshi say they will campaign against separation

When it comes to where the province’s politicians are aligning themselves, all NDP MLAs have already signed a pro-Canada pledge.

“Folks like Thomas Lukaszuk and Jason Kenney, as well as myself, will be out there,” said Alberta NDP Leader Naheed Nenshi. “We’re going to have volunteers door knocking, we’re going to share information, we’re probably going to have lawn signs and get-out-the-vote campaigns and so on and so on, because we have to.”

Nenshi says Alberta separation talk is bad for the economy. He again called on all UCP MLAs to make their stance clear.

“For UCP caucus members to play footsie with this, to pander to the separatists while pretending to be Canadian, is totally unfair,” Nenshi said.

Premier Danielle Smith says she is already campaigning for a united Canada.

“I’ve been working tirelessly with our federal counterparts to identify the very significant pressure points that have caused Albertans to lose hope,” Smith said.

But the Alberta premier did not mention the MLAs in her caucus.

Recent polling suggests about half of UCP voters are at least leaning toward separation.

As for Forever Canadian, it’s not looking to sign up the NDP or the UCP – at least not officially.

“We will not be engaging any political parties as political parties,” Lukaszuk said. “But any supporters of any political parties or any elected members of any political parties are more than welcome to join Forever Canadian to make sure that Alberta’s future is in Canada.”

Smith has scheduled a referendum vote for Oct. 19.