Western Standard- Alberta sets groundwork for referendum day after Liberal election victory
To hold an independence referendum in Alberta, currently, the process can be initiated through two primary mechanisms under existing legislation, the Referendum Act and the Citizen Initiative Act.
A petition must collect signatures from approximately 600,000 eligible voters (about 20% of Alberta’s eligible voters, based on the 2019 election turnout) within a 90-day period.
If passed, the new law will cut the number needed cut in half to 10%.
Danielle Smith- Election Statutes Amendment Act (33 minutes)
Start now…
Premier Smith is holding a cabinet meeting Friday to talk about this, it’s on the agenda and they’re well aware of the danger of pushing this onto a back burner and ignoring us.
https://x.com/SheilaGunnReid/status/1917332552215584938
Stupid. An independence referendum will not pass and when it fails that’s just more leverage lost.
Just like Quebec lost so much leverage when they failed to pass a separation referendum!
It won’t be that close, and we don’t have the mass.
The citizens of AB deserve to let known how they feel about this.
If it fails or if it passes, we deserve to be heard. Let the cards fall where they may.
That’s what letters to the editor and blogs are for.
I think you are wrong to pass judgement before it has been tried. If it is not tried, it remains ” unthinkable”. Once it is tried, if it fails, it becomes “Maybe next time.” People are not happy with the status quo. Something needs to be done .. .and sorry, but Letters to the editor don’t quite cut it.
Who is this “we” you reference? You got a mouse in your pocket? Or a gerbil someplace else? There is no “we” that involves you, especially if you happen to be inside the province of Alberta. You shouldn’t be wasting your time trolling online, you should be packing.
We = Albertans
An independent Quebec would mean a loss of those transfer payments. They knew where the butter for their bread came from.
I agree. Danielle Smith will kill the separatist movement in Alberta. She’s done SFA to advance separation in Alberta and now she wants to rush into a referendum.
Can you substantiate that statement, UnReal? We all know of your track record on issues like this. Compared to mine, yours is abysmal.
Wise. An independence referendum will pass and when it passes that’s just more low IQ commies and low skill immigrant leeches who’ll leave the province.
Watto,
Your comment made my day – Thank you !!!!!
Kate: We need an upvote thing here.
1) It will not pass 2) The immigrants are high-skill and are basically the reason Alberta is a powerhouse
unDORK
Are the hi skilled immeegrants the one shitting on the beech?
Or are they fat useless twits like you, sucking on the gubbermint teet?
Quiet, gym… the adults are talking.
Alberta is a powerhouse in spite of recent immigrants. The quality of immigrants today is not what it was even 20 years ago and polar opposite to what it was 70 years ago.
Completely wrong. Calgary is by and large immigrants. Racists were saying the same thing 100 years ago as you are now. Get replaced!
Finally.. some intellectual honesty..
UnReal has just demonstrated his fascistic tendencies.
Completely right. Alberta is a shadow of its former self and massive population-replacing immigrants have greatly exacerbated the problem. Although there are some useful and qualified among them, they are an insignificant minority.
And a large percentage of them are racists. But they are not here by accident – the corrupt and treasonous POSs that rule us are using them to replace us b/c we see through the “globalist” lies and resist their evil agenda. We are the greatest thorn in their side – the ones who don’t swallow the poison of socialism despite their 24/7 propaganda.
And so mass immigration is THEIR solution to THEIR problem. But sadly there are low IQ fools who swallow the tripe that they are somehow a benefit to us.
and who was it that brought Alberta down? (rhetorical question).
Really! Has any polling been done on this. What about the Alberta Provincial Police force she talked about. Haven’t heard much about that lately. And then there’s the Alberta Pension Fund, that initiative withered on the vine. A hastily conceived referendum that’s bound to fail will set the Alberta independence movement back decades. We’ll be a laughing stock.
Many Albertans are fearful of repatriating their CPP portion. Still waiting for the Liberal version of Alberta’s share from its contributions. Will that enlightenment change things?
Will Saskatchewan do the same thing? If we’re not voting on this within 90 days, I want to know why the hell not.
Because separation is a fringe issue fronted by the worst people in Canada and I’m saying that as a separatist.
Well elections have consequences and this is one of them. The Easterners knew this going into this election and chose to vote Liberal anyway. This is their answer. They don’t care about the west or any of its issues, they just want the money to keep flowing.
I doubt anybody in Quebec or Ontario or Newfieland thought about Alberta when voting. And if Quebecker’s feeling towards Alberta is anything like Albertan’s feelings towards Quebec (as frequently expressed here)… Well. Transfer payments are set by Ottawa, not Quebec. I never heard any party discuss revising transfer payments as part of their election platform (thought I may be wrong but I doubt it). No matter who won, the issue would remain. Alberta should go for it. Grow a set of political balls, or spend the next how many years bitching into the void about transfer payments. At least now they have a Premier willing to consider it, and that may not last. But once they do, it’ll be around their necks forever like Quebec. That last referendum was 30 years ago and people still see Quebec as separatists. Or Alberta should grow themselves a federal party to look after their own interests, like the Bloc did. Get Saskatchewan on board too. Look at who has the balance of power now.
What was that age-old Lieberal saying?
“[forget] the west. We’ll take the rest.”
–(toned down for family viewing.)
Call me the worst peron because i will vote for it.
I will too, but we’re setting ourselves up for failure. Why doesn’t the Alberta government do some advance polling on this issue. I’ve been a tepid supporter of Smith since she was elected but she really needs to actively campaign for separation, not just throw a hissy fit because the good guys lost an election.
Too soon. She has to be careful how she phrases the issue. If she comes out in full support of independence, she will face the brunt of the central government, giving them justification for not negotiating with her when the time finally comes to have that discussion.
It could also elevate the socialist cause enough to bring down her government. (remember… “Elbows up” “never 51.” Look at how that impacted the federal election.) Now imagine the likes of Nenshi using the same “anti-Trump” tactics during the next election campaign if Smith were to come out full-fledged independentists, and the separatists fails to obtain a solid majority for independence in a plebiscite. What do you think would happen next? We could wind up with another NDP government. I wouldn’t want that for Alberta. Would you? Would anyone here?
I too am a tepid supporter of Smith, but on the subject of Alberta sovereignty, I think she’s handling it the best way possible if the objective is to give Albertans a democratic voice on the issue.
I do agree that you are among the worst people in Canada. Let’s built on that.
Better idea than this nonsense: Alberta 1) dezones and builds a massive amount of cheap housing 2) insists on an extra 500,000 immigrants per year 3) gets tons of parliamentary seats out of it
There. Far more attainable than separation. If we can’t leave Canada, dominate it.
Yeah…turn Alberta into another third world cess pool. Great idea.
Yeah, sure, Unme.
Do all that but kill the oil and gas and agriculture, per “parliament’s” plans, then all you have left is cheap gulag housing on the prairies.
So how do you prevent the ethnic strife that has happened in other regions inside and outside of Canada where there has been a large amount of immigration? The only solutions I have seen so far have been rather brutal and I’d rather not see Canada go there.
With a booming economy. Also LOL Canada has not had serious ‘ethnic strife’ since the ’80s.
That you, Nenshi?
UnReal. You continue to fascinate me with your bloviant comments, and how you constantly display how truly ignorant and out of touch you are with public sentiment.
A handful of people in Toronto or Montreal could find Alberta on a map right now, but if this referendum thing heats up they’ll be spewing vitriol far worse than whatever anyone said about Quebec referendums.
Grab the popcorn, this is gonna be lit!
Much as I hate agreeing with a certain individual here, it would be seriously unwise for either AB or SK to pull the trigger on a rapid secession referendum. It would fail and it would fail badly. Probably 75-25 or worse, and then the feds sit back and sneer at your self castration.
This is a multi year project at minimum and you’ve got lots of groundwork to lay. Start with something within the existing power of the provincial government to do, do it, and do it well. Tackle policing. Tackle pensions. Demonstrate that you actually can disentangle from Ottawa in some meaningful way. Otherwise you’re just angrily blustering, no matter how justified your anger is.
This, 100%. as time goes on more support for seperation will grow.
You are missing the point. Canada is circling the drain, extinction level financial event. You don’t have years to plant the seed, anymore than the CPC has years to get it right. It is not salvageable. Get your portion of the CPP, accept your portion of the debt, with Alberta unleashed you can pay it, but not if the place goes bust, the creditors will look to the CPP. The other option is a sovereign default, then the Turd peso is worthless.
It might be the arbitrage play of all time, get the CPP assets converted to a real currency or gold and other hard assets, without Alberta, the extinction happens quicker, with a sovereign default, the CDN dollar debt can be paid with not much.
My view from your neighbor to south is that I haven’t a clue how many people support independence for any western province, nor how many can be swayed in a campaign for it in the near future.
But, as soon as you start with the ‘multi-year project’ approach, I can tell you that you have lost. You have laid out a nice incremental plan that builds on successes over time – which is a good approach to getting many things done – but doesn’t work for transformative change. The dam breaks, the earthquake hits, you tell the Red Coats to stay away from your militia stores… fast and all in is what works in that case.
Hold the referendum 100 days from now – then you know if there is a future other than being a tax farm. And if you want to win it, don’t campaign with a business as usual approach, that’s deadly boring for a life altering decision. Not sure what that means? Take a page from Mr Trumps recent campaign here – love him or hate him, he knows how to get a message across. And don’t worry too much about the HoC rigging the rules. Hold the vote anyway and ask your neighbor for help if needed. Bet you can get a no strings deal where we tell the rest of Canada that you get to decide your own future. And for the record I don’t think you should be a state, maybe an associated commonwealth, maybe just a friendly neighbor.
This is the only thing that works for transformative change. Most pop-cap revolutions blow through with little long-term effect.
One of Trump’s great political gift is the mastery of shit disturbing. A separation referendum should spell out options for voters to consider, or what Alberta plans to do. Those would include the USA. Maybe not outright annexation, but economic and trade matters. I think the Premier of Alberta should visit Washington soon. See if that attracts Ottawa’s attention and how Albertans react.
Gus; I agree with what you have posted. I’m in Ontario and we have our own problems here. We have Liberal Lite (Conservative) running things here and also, Toronto and Ottawa. These 2 cities alone will vote Liberal no matter what, and they have a large number of seats in Parliament. Toronto has become a glorified S;’,Hole and Ottawa is trying its best to get their as well. If Alberta does separate I hope its a clean brake and they do well. I’m too old to move so I’ll have to stay here and do the best that I can. Steve O
I say, do it, and then you have a base line. Doing nothing is not an option. Did you see that editorial in the Star ” Maybe it’s time for Alberta to leave.” Maybe it is. Also, the US is looking rather welcoming just now. That should give the movement momentum.,
I’m not saying “do nothing” but first it would be wise to do what is within the existing power of the provincial legislature to do. That’s why I refer to policing or pensions. Create an Alberta Provincial Police force and kick out the RCMP. Create an Alberta Pension Plan and get out of the CPP. Create an Alberta Revenue Agency and minimize the role of the CRA. There will be howling. There will be pushback. There will even be pain. So be it. Those will come regardless. But if Albertans can’t or won’t do these things that they are already empowered to do, now, then why would anyone believe they can or will do those things, and the hundred other things just as hard and even harder, they’d have to do to become independent (or petition the USA for admission), at some future date?
If they go off half-cocked now they’ll cripple themselves. And I say this as a long-time Liberal and Ottawa hater and a lifelong Maritimer.
Yes YES! Just do a really good job first and foremost and make Alberta The Best Place To Be. People are scared of separation because they see the people arguing for it and think ‘no way they can run things!’. So take the fear out by taking responsibility bit by bit.
Maybe the wisest thing you said during this thread. Are you sure you’re not backtracking?
However, you spoil your post when you said “People are scared of separation…” because I submit to you that I am much more scared of the Carney government, their thirst for domination, quest for control, their suppression tactics and threats to freedom of speech, and most of all, what their policies would do to Alberta’s economy if we choose to stay in this dilapidated excuse for what soon is to become a third-world banana-republic, soviet-styled dictatorship, than I am of independence — especially if we obtain support from the US.
I’m just wondering how many other Albertans feel as I do, and if there are enough of us to redraw a few maps of the continent.
As I eluded to in my response to Rosseuage, Good things come to those who wait. I’m willing to be patient, and put in the effort, as long as I see the movement progressing towards the ultimate goal.
Corey Morgan has a good video out on getting it right:
“We must learn from the past and pursue independence effectively.
Having been in the movement for over 20 years, I know the pitfalls and mistakes that could await.
I wrote the guide on how to effectively pursue Western independence.
Let’s do it right and get it done this time. ”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=apZFP6f2bSc
100% in agreement
Amen!
When you separate you get to keep UnMe?
Go for it.
All you have to do is look at a map showing which party won where…..pretty clear that everything to the west of the Sask/Manitoba border with the exception of the weirdos around Vancouver are diametrically opposed to the so-called “Golden Triangle”. Kind of reminds me of why Ukraine unilaterally left the Soviet Union because they refused to be dictated to from Moscow.
Not true. There are more and more in Calgary and Edmonton. Alberta voted in the NDP before and they probably will again. This whole ‘West is a separate species’ bit is an old delusion.
Alberta never voted in the communists. Rachel’s commies won only because the fake-conservatives under Jesuit Jason Kenney split the right wing vote.
The commies have always been a minority, though with the flood of unnecessary and unwanted low skill immigrants, that will change.
UnReal gets a lot of things wrong, doesn’t he?
Anomaly.
The ndp never won the popular vote. The ‘right’ vote was split by the Wild Rose and the Conservatives. Four years later the ndp was one and done.
The same thing happened in the 90’s federally when the Reform Party and the PC’s divided the vote and the BQ became official opposition to the chretien librano government
Just so, and the RoC has no military to try and change things.
A citizen initiative that can be done without all the vitriol of separation talk is to require the government to put the mechanism in place to collect the taxes headed to Ottawa and make them do it within 180 days. I’d rather see the focus go to ways we can take control from Ottawa.
This Independence Referendum day is new to me! We have to do something the “Clarity Act” allows for separations! It however is a process! I like the way Premier Smith is initiating separation from Canada! Saskatchewan will also be doing the same!
So what is Danielle Smith up to?
Good politics?
Or “I didn’t do it”,plausible deniability?.
Western Separation is coming,Canada is sinking.
In a sea of debt and lies.
The metaphor of a once magnificent vessel run aground and facing stormy weather.
With “Prats of the Year” as the designated crew.Ala Monty Python.
The question is what shall be the process?
A planned lifeboat drill?
A mad scramble to the lifeboats?
Or a committee meeting on how to arrange the deckchairs,when we discover we have no lifeboats?
There is reason to hurry.
There is no reason to panic.
As the Snow Peso becomes useless as a unit of exchange,we will substitute US dollars.
As the theft and control increases from the desperate thugs in Ottawa,we can claim “Poverty” and fail to contribute.
We trade North South right now,nothing changes.
And Alberta has time,not a lot ,but sufficient time to take over provincially all those function that always were hers to command.
Taxation.
Policing.
Law.
Consider the future..Canada does not have one IMO.
Because we ,Ottawa,sold us out.
“Investing in Welfare”.
Money talks.
Taxation is Ottawa’s number 1 tool and they use it indiscriminately.
Invert the tax structure.
Limit personal taxation to 10% max.
Paid locally.(So we can get our hands on the guilty).
Let the local authority remit 10% of their take to the Province/New Nation.
And the province pays 10% of their take to the Feds.
This breaks the current power of federal extortion and bribery (corruption).
Law and Policing matter
If some are perceived as being above the law,then none will respect those laws,nor those who attempt to enforce them.
Canada’s Just Us System is a parody of Justice and Good Government.
Individual Rights really do matter,contrary to Ottawa’s belief in the collective,Rights and Freedoms that Government cannot infringe make a nation.
After the sorry performances of Dread Covid and Trucker’s Protest “Emergency”,we know that Canadian Citizens have neither.
And apparently our Eastern Comrades want to part of them things.
Private Property must be legally protected…
So simple.
Civil society is impossible without Private Property.
Yet Ottawa has repeated refused to do so.
Private Property is the first defence against State Theft..As home owners may be about to learn again.
Gun Owners already know.
Bank account holder have learnt the hard way.
Pierre Trudeau and his Comrades stripped English Canadians of their traditional rights and freedoms,with the Passage of The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms..
And Canada imposed “Human Rights Tribunals” that stripped the citizen of all legal rights.
(Truth is NOT a defence before a HRT,so says our Supreme Court).
So a pattern here.
Deceit,corruption and consolidation of power..
It is the way of Can Ahh Duh.
It is also what killed the promise of this great land.
Alberta, Saskatchewan are the Tale of The Golden Goose.
Canada could have been so much more.
But Ottawa chose to kill the wealth production .
So referendum away..
What are we going to do differently?
What will we do better?
How will we be responsible citizens of “Buffalo”,or whatever we style our selves?
What commonality will bond us?
We live in an information rich environment.
So many “Good Ideas” that have worked elsewhere.So many dumb ones that recur..
Seems if a law,ideal or religion contradicts Human Nature,it is destined to fail.
What shall be the “Enlightened Self Interests” of Westerners?