The Alberta Prosperity Project (APP) has officially filed its application with Elections Alberta, seeking a referendum on Alberta's independence, just days after former Progressive Conservative Deputy Premier and St. Albertan Thomas Lukaszuk's petition was approved.
The APP is a non-profit organization that supports Alberta's independence. APP CEO Mitch Sylvestre said an independent Alberta would have its own rules and be governed by the people.
APP's application, submitted July 4, will fall under new rules introduced through the recently passed Bill 54, which lowers the signature threshold, extends the collection period and eases fundraising restrictions for citizen-led referendum petitions.
While the APP is awaiting approval from Elections Alberta, Lukaszuk is waiting to learn whether his campaign will be governed by the previous referendum rules or the new rules introduced by Bill 54.
"We were going to have this referendum no matter what, because Danielle Smith and her group of separatists, they created Bill 54, a rule that would make it easier on separatists to force a referendum," said Lukaszuk. "But the question is, who is going to lead it? Who is going to lead that conversation, that debate, that dialog that we're going to have as Albertans, and what the question will be? You know, my question is very, very open and very positive."
He explained that one of his reasons for submitting the application was that he wanted the referendum to be led by someone who cares about the future of Canada.
"So, I decided to lead this referendum because to me, as I said earlier, it's important that this referendum is not led by a group who already, you know, is making an assumption that Alberta, will be a separate entity and will be joining United States, or will be forming its own Republic," said Lukaszuk.
He added that the issue is deeply personal for him as he immigrated to Canada when he was 12 years old.
"There isn't a day that I don't appreciate this country for what it is and for how great it is, and there are 10s of millions of people outside of Canada who only dream about living in Canada," said Lukaszuk. "We don't realize how Canada, for the rest of the world, is a beacon of hope and prosperity and peace and freedom, and I simply won't let a group of disinformed, angry people tear that apart."
Sylvestre said the group's referendum question asks, "for an independent Alberta to be separate and distinct from Canada, and it would become a free nation."
"Mr. Lukaszuk's question is for the status quo. Basically, you know, wanting Alberta to stay within Canada, yes or no. So that basically is two completely different questions, as far as we're concerned," said Sylvestre. "Then we'll challenge Elections Alberta to, you know, to take our question rather than that one."
According to Elections Alberta, more than one citizen petition can occur at a time; however, the petitions cannot be the same or have a similar topic to a citizen initiative petition that is in process or under review.
Lukaszuk said that while he understands the frustration felt by some Albertans, that anger has been misdirected.
"I don't discount or trivialize or make fun of their anger, or their dissatisfaction," he said. "But a lot of their dissatisfaction is actually based on disinformation, which has been fed to Albertans by political parties and political leaders for decades."
If Lukaszuk's application is subject to the previous referendum rules, he will have 90 days to gather just under 300,000 signatures once he appoints a chief financial officer.
"We already have but we need more volunteers everywhere in Alberta who will register with us," said Lukaszuk. "My goal is not to meet the minimum number of signatures. I want to get 10 times that so we can send a clear message to Ottawa, to other provinces, but particularly to the world outside, that Canada is not divisible. Our sovereignty is not negotiable. We're solid and united."
