Alberta anti-separatism group that includes former deputy premier wants to pose referendum question

A group of Albertans who oppose efforts to have the province separate from the rest of Canada has filed an application to have its referendum petition approved.

The group, which calls itself Forever Canada, has filed paperwork with Elections Canada in the hope of being able to ask Albertans this question: “Do you agree that Alberta must remain in Canada and any form of separation be rejected?”

Thomas Lukaszuk, who spent time serving as deputy premier as part of Alison Redford’s Progressive Conservative government, told Global News on Wednesday that he filed the paperwork a week earlier because he wants the debate about separation in Alberta to be well-represented by people who want to remain Canadian. He also said he believes the number of Albertans who want the province to remain part of Canada is far larger than those who want to leave.

“We should be strong and forceful in reaffirming our commitment to our country — to Canada,” said the former politician, who was born in Poland during the Cold War. “And those who don’t feel the affinity or loyalty to our country, they shouldn’t be the ones leading this debate.

“I love this place. I moved here as a refugee 45 years ago, and every day I’m thankful to this country … for giving my family a second chance. And I just can’t let go of it.”

Last month, the Liberals emerged victorious in the 2025 federal election, but in Alberta only secured two of the seats the province has in the House of Commons. Shortly after, Alberta’s UCP government put forward Bill 54 — the Election Statutes Amendment Act — which seeks to make changes to provincial election rules and to make it easier for citizens to call for a referendum.

If passed, the bill would change citizen-initiated referendum rules to require that a petition be signed by 10 per cent of the eligible voters in a previous general election — down from 20 per cent of registered voters. Applicants would also be given 120 days instead of 90 to collect the signatures.

Premier Danielle Smith has said she does not personally support the idea of Alberta separating from Canada while adding Ottawa needs to know Albertans have legitimate grievances that need to be addressed. She presented Prime Minister Mark Carney with a series of demands that she would like to see action on over the six months following the election in order to reset Alberta’s relationship with Ottawa. She has accused his Liberal government of hurting Alberta’s oil and gas sector with its economic and environmental policies.

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In recent months, pro-separatist voices have become louder. In April, Cameron Davies, a longtime behind-the-scenes member of Alberta’s conservative community parted ways with UCP. Just days later, he was named the new leader of the Republican Party of Alberta, a party that wants to move towards independence for Alberta.

When asked about Lukaszuk’s petition application, Davies described the move as “sad” and “pathetic.”

“It is no shock to me that leftist groups or organizers … would attempt to undermine or disrupt the independence movement,” he said.

However, Davies said he believes the provincial government should be calling a referendum on whether Alberta should remain part of Canada, and noted the province had two government-initiated referendum questions that made it to ballots when Jason Kenney was premier.

“We don’t believe that it should be citizen-initiated,” Davies said. “We believe that the government that’s elected to represent Albertans should listen to the will of the people and initiate a binding referendum. (We don’t believe) it should be necessary to collect petitions for the government to do the right thing.

“All that’s lacking is backbone and political will by the current government to call for a referendum.”

Eric Adams, a constitutional law professor at the University of Alberta, said he believes the government could face some uncertain times now that it is trying to make it easier to allow for citizen-initiated referenda.

“At some level, this is just a bit of chaos that’s been created in a moment when we really need the provincial government to take charge,” he said. “What is their position on Alberta’s place in the federation and lead with that position. Instead, I think we’re going to see an awful lot of instability.”

Adams said he believes it was inevitable that a group like Forever Canada would file its own petition application to counter separatists’ efforts.

Lukaszuk said filing an application is the latest step in “a bit of a chess game” and that he believes if his group is the first to have its application approved, it would serve as a strategic advantage.

“There definitely are enough people who would sign a (pro-separatist) petition, particularly when our Premier Danielle Smith is making it easier for the separatists to have their petition go forward with Bill 54,” he said. “The question is who will be leading this debate and what kind of a question Albertans will be asked.”

Some leaders in Alberta’s business community have spoken out about the issue recently.

Earlier this month, the president and chief executive of the Calgary Chamber of Commerce said she believes a referendum on separation would harm the provincial and nationwide economy, regardless of the result.

“Businesses are not interested whatsoever in uncertainty,” Deborah Yedlin told The Canadian Press, adding she believes the uncertainty will make companies think long and hard about whether they want to invest in Alberta. “It’s bad for Alberta, but not just Alberta. It’s bad for the country.”

Some First Nations leaders have raised concerns about Bill 54 and about the separatist movement and its impact on treaty rights. Adams noted that if a clear majority were to vote in favour of secession, he believes Alberta’s government would say it is bound by that result to pursue separation and would enter into complex negotiations with Ottawa and other provinces that could take months or years.

“It would make for a very rocky time in Alberta’s political history,” he said, noting that aside from implications for First Nations, potential deals would need to be made with regard to national parks, currency, citizenship and more.

–with files from Global News’ Morgan Black and The Canadian Press

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