Alberta separatists score major win as independence petition qualifies
Elections Alberta verified more than 223,000 signatures, but a court challenge still stands between Alberta separatists and an independence referendum.
Author: Alex Dhaliwal
Alberta separatists have scored a major victory after Elections Alberta confirmed a citizen-led independence petition gathered enough valid signatures to qualify—marking the biggest push yet for a vote on leaving Canada.
Elections Alberta announced Friday that 223,181 signatures from Mitch Sylvestre’s proposed Referendum Relating to Alberta Independence petition were validated, comfortably surpassing the 177,732 signatures required to qualify.
The petition needed 177,732 verified signatures—10 per cent of ballots cast in the 2023 provincial election.
But despite clearing that hurdle, the path to an independence referendum remains tied up in court.
Sylvestre’s petition was paused by a Court of King’s Bench ruling earlier this year after several First Nations argued it was unconstitutional because they were not properly consulted.
Elections Alberta only began verifying signatures after another judge ruled last month that the process should continue while the appeal is heard.
Separatist lawyer Jeff Rath says the now-qualified petition should replace the Alberta government’s own separation question already scheduled for the province’s Oct. 19 referendum.
“I think Danielle has to pull her stupid question off the ballot and let us have a referendum on our question in November or December,” Rath told CTV News.
Premier Danielle Smith’s government has already committed to asking Albertans whether the province should remain part of Canada or hold a second, binding referendum on independence.
Smith has previously argued the court ruling blocking Sylvestre’s petition prevented her government from holding a direct, binding independence vote this fall.
Rath rejected that argument, saying the government already has the authority under Alberta’s Referendum Act to call a referendum.
“We’ve got the signatures, we’ve got them verified, and now the ball’s in Danielle’s lap,” he said.
The petition’s future now rests with the Court of Appeal after a judge ruled it failed constitutional requirements because First Nations were not properly consulted.
Elections Alberta said it proceeded with signature verification because delaying the process could have compromised the petition if signatories moved away or died before the legal challenge was resolved.
The agency also said it found no “seeded” names during its verification process. Officials had been screening for fake names inserted into the petition following an April voter data breach involving the Republican Party of Alberta.
Despite the petition’s success, Alberta Justice Minister Mickey Amery’s office confirmed Friday the government has no plans to change its referendum question.
“As confirmed by the Elections Alberta announcement today, hundreds of thousands of Albertans did indeed sign petitions on both sides of this issue and Albertans deserve the opportunity to express their views at the ballot box,” a spokesperson said.
The 'butts-up' crowd in Alberta doesn't realize that a failed separatist vote could still have a positive effect on future negotiations with the federal government, similar to what Quebec enjoys. It's a stretch to believe we'll immediately garner the same level of autonomy they have, but we may be able to extract more concessions over time. It's a win-win scenario.