Thomas Lukaszuk, a former deputy premier of Alberta who has circulated a petition to make it official policy for the province to stay in Canada, says it has just over 456,000 signatures.
The final tally is far greater than the 294,000 signatures required over the course of three months to initiate a possible referendum in Alberta.
The Forever Canadian petition started as a counter to separatists who want a referendum on Alberta independence and asks: “Do you agree that Alberta should remain within Canada?”
Lukaszuk has said Albertans should be given the opportunity to vote in a referendum or allow legislature members to vote on the question in the house.
Premier Danielle Smith’s government has urged Alberta to stay in Confederation but has also made it easier for groups to hold a referendum on quitting Canada by lowering the signature threshold.
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A question proposed by the Alberta Prosperity Project asks: “Do you agree that the province of Alberta shall become a sovereign country and cease to be a province of Canada?”
— More to come…
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