Alberta committee on ‘Forever Canadian’ petition marred with accusations of delaying process

The first meeting of a legislative committee tasked with reviewing a former politician’s citizen-led petition, affirming that Alberta should remain part of Canada, was marred by accusations of delaying the process.

The committee, led by United Conservative Party (UCP) members, was appointed in December to discuss the “Forever Canadian” petition and present recommendations to the legislative assembly.

Launched to counter separatist efforts, the petition by Thomas Lukaszuk, a former deputy premier, collected more than 456,000 signatures, well over the 294,000 required to initiate a possible referendum. 

Stay Free Alberta, a group calling for a referendum on Alberta leaving Canada, is working on its own citizen petition but has recently faced hurdles.

A judge granted a month-long stay earlier in April, preventing the petition results from being certified.

Committee chair and UCP backbencher Brandon Lunty has said he’s looking forward to discussing next steps, but hasn’t said how quickly his panel can finish its work.

The committee is to present recommendations to the legislative assembly on what could come next for the petition.

NDP accuses UCP of delaying process

Being as this is the first successful citizen-initiated petition in Alberta, the committee is blazing new trails with the work it will do.

A large part of the debate involved the NDP members of the committee accusing the UCP of delaying the process from the jump.

The NDP pointed out that the committee only has 90 days to conclude its work and present recommendations, but the first meeting was not called until 45 days in.

“The timing is that if this committee work is not completed by the time this legislature is scheduled to rise, which is scheduled for May 14, the work of this committee will not be tabled with the Assembly until November of 2026,” said MLA Rakhi Pancholi, one of two NDP members on the committee.

“Very coincidentally, that falls after the date of a proposed referendum that we know this government has been very supportive of from the beginning on separatism.”

The spring legislature sitting ends in May, and the next sitting will be in November.

Pancholi pushed for a commitment that the committee deliver by May 7.

“If the government members also vote down this motion, it will be confirmation that they never had any intention to listen to the half million Albertans who signed that petition, that they are ignoring their voices, and that they do not want to make any decision on this petition or put forward any recommendations until after the separatists who support their party,” she said.

The UCP members argued that it’s more important to do the job properly than quickly. Pancholi’s motion was defeated.

When it came to Lukaszuk speaking at the committee, UCP members argued it wasn’t necessary, but discussion on it is coming at a later date.

Lukaszuk says he watched firsthand the legislature committee tasked with its review stifle the democratic process.

The former deputy premier says he’s not surprised, but says it’s “bizarre” that the committee shut down a proposal to soon hear from him directly.

Lukaszuk says the UCP is playing a “cynical political game” to give a separatist petition, currently gathering signatures, the leg up on putting their question on an October ballot.

Premier Danielle Smith’s UCP government has urged that Alberta stay in Confederation, but has also made it easier for groups to hold a referendum on quitting Canada by lowering the signature threshold.

With files from The Canadian Press