Alberta

[T Bear]

According to Alberta's Republicans, here are the UCP MLAs who have signed the independence petition to try to give the 'green light' to seperation,

https://albertarepublicans.com/actionhu ... scorecard/

[nepal]

Alberta Heritage Savings Trust Fund

https://www.alberta.ca/heritage-savings-trust-fund

Good to see in your link, that Alberta Heritage Savings Trust Fund, now has nearly $40-billion invested. A good start, but considering Norway is near $2-trillion, Alberta gave too much away in discounts to US, low royalties, and tax giveaways. Norway now makes more from its worldwide investments, than from petroleum. Norway now owns 1.5% of each significant company on the planet, so forever financially secure, and they don’t squander their money.

Albertans want no PST, so they can buy big quads, jet-set, excessive vehicles, and use fiscal mismanagement, but there’s little saved in their provincial Heritage Savings Trust Fund. No pain, no long-term gain…can’t have it both ways, then blame others when they’re broke.

Alberta runs their finances like a high-income spendthrift household, thus has nothing in the bank. (And blames Canada, and thinks things will be better by joining US…who will take everything and result in a poorer middle class)

Maybe time for Alberta, to have a closer look at Norway’s roadmap. Albeit, that Fed equalization payments are fairly agreed upon.

[Rejigger]

As Smith has previously stated, lowering the number of signatures was in the works long before this most recent version of a separitist movement hit the mainstream.
Also, Thomas Lukaszuk's referendum for Alberta to remain in Canada came first.
So to suggest that Smith's government made this change in order to facilitate separation is false.

Real. ^^ Nope, the judicially disallowed separatist petition came first, then Smith changed the rules, and started to complain about the judiciary system.

https://edmonton.citynews.ca/2025/12/16 ... ndum-vote/

April 29, 2025: Alberta's Bill 54, the Election Statutes Amendment Act, 2025, was tabled in the legislature by Justice Minister Mickey Amery. It streamlined Jason Kenney's 2021 Citizen Initiative Act. Reports are that the proposed changes were in the works since May 2023.

Smith said the timing of the announcement, coming the day after the federal Liberals won Monday’s election, was coincidental. “We were going to introduce it regardless of what the outcome of the election was. It just so happens that this is the timing now.”
Initiative petitions once required signatures from 10 per cent of registered voters provincewide for certain initiatives, rising to 20 per cent for others. Bill 54 lowered that bar to 10 per cent of the number of eligible voters who voted in the last election.

May 12, 2025: Lawyer Jeffrey Rath (Alberta Prosperity Project) presented (did not submit) his group's proposed question for a referendum on Alberta separation. The group sought the Alberta government to hold a referendum on the matter by the end of 2025.

May 15, 2025: Bill 54 received Royal Assent.

June 30, 2025: Thomas Lukaszuk's 'Alberta Forever Canada' petition application was approved, petition issued July 30, 2025.

July 4, 2025: Mitch Sylvestre's (Alberta Prosperity Project) petition was submitted to Elections Alberta, which was referred to Court of King's Bench by Alberta's Chief Electoral Officer.

December 5, 2025: Court of King's Bench Justice ruled the question, "Do you agree that the province of Alberta shall become a sovereign country and cease to be a province in Canada?" to be unconstitutional.

December 22, 2025: A Referendum Relating to 'Alberta Independence' petition application approved, petition issued January 2, 2026.

Everything I wrote in my previous post is accurate. The referendum for Alberta to remain in Canada came first. To suggest that Smith's government made this long in the works change (Bill 54) in order to facilitate separation is false.

~

[T Bear]

Real. ^^ Nope, the judicially disallowed separatist petition came first, then Smith changed the rules, and started to complain about the judiciary system.

https://edmonton.citynews.ca/2025/12/16 ... ndum-vote/

April 29, 2025: Alberta's Bill 54, the Election Statutes Amendment Act, 2025, was tabled in the legislature by Justice Minister Mickey Amery. It streamlined Jason Kenney's 2021 Citizen Initiative Act. Reports are that the proposed changes were in the works since May 2023.

Smith said the timing of the announcement, coming the day after the federal Liberals won Monday’s election, was coincidental. “We were going to introduce it regardless of what the outcome of the election was. It just so happens that this is the timing now.”
Initiative petitions once required signatures from 10 per cent of registered voters provincewide for certain initiatives, rising to 20 per cent for others. Bill 54 lowered that bar to 10 per cent of the number of eligible voters who voted in the last election.

May 12, 2025: Lawyer Jeffrey Rath (Alberta Prosperity Project) presented (did not submit) his group's proposed question for a referendum on Alberta separation. The group sought the Alberta government to hold a referendum on the matter by the end of 2025.

May 15, 2025: Bill 54 received Royal Assent.

June 30, 2025: Thomas Lukaszuk's 'Alberta Forever Canada' petition application was approved, petition issued July 30, 2025.

July 4, 2025: Mitch Sylvestre's (Alberta Prosperity Project) petition was submitted to Elections Alberta, which was referred to Court of King's Bench by Alberta's Chief Electoral Officer.

December 5, 2025: Court of King's Bench Justice ruled the question, "Do you agree that the province of Alberta shall become a sovereign country and cease to be a province in Canada?" to be unconstitutional.

December 22, 2025: A Referendum Relating to 'Alberta Independence' petition application approved, petition issued January 2, 2026.

Everything I wrote in my previous post is accurate. The referendum for Alberta to remain in Canada came first. To suggest that Smith's government made this long in the works change (Bill 54) in order to facilitate separation is false.

~

Neither petition has reached the referendum stage.

[T Bear]

Alberta Heritage Savings Trust Fund

https://www.alberta.ca/heritage-savings-trust-fund

Good to see in your link, that Alberta Heritage Savings Trust Fund, now has nearly $40-billion invested. A good start, but considering Norway is near $2-trillion, Alberta gave too much away in discounts to US, low royalties, and tax giveaways. Norway now makes more from its worldwide investments, than from petroleum. Norway now owns 1.5% of each significant company on the planet, so forever financially secure, and they don’t squander their money.

Albertans want no PST, so they can buy big quads, jet-set, excessive vehicles, and use fiscal mismanagement, but there’s little saved in their provincial Heritage Savings Trust Fund. No pain, no long-term gain…can’t have it both ways, then blame others when they’re broke.

Alberta runs their finances like a high-income spendthrift household, thus has nothing in the bank. (And blames Canada, and thinks things will be better by joining US…who will take everything and result in a poorer middle class)

Maybe time for Alberta, to have a closer look at Norway’s roadmap. Albeit, that Fed equalization payments are fairly agreed upon.

Here's how the National Post sees this,

Bill Bewick: Alberta could have a wealth fund like Norway's if Ottawa stopped picking its pockets
Unlike Alberta, Norway is not forced to subsidize lower-productivity European nations

Author of the article:By Bill Bewick, Special to National Post
Published Mar 31, 2024
Last updated Apr 01, 2024

https://nationalpost.com/opinion/albert ... %20nations.

And do you think if Aberta seperates the Government will 'nationalize' the oil business?

[Rejigger]

April 29, 2025: Alberta's Bill 54, the Election Statutes Amendment Act, 2025, was tabled in the legislature by Justice Minister Mickey Amery. It streamlined Jason Kenney's 2021 Citizen Initiative Act. Reports are that the proposed changes were in the works since May 2023.

Smith said the timing of the announcement, coming the day after the federal Liberals won Monday’s election, was coincidental. “We were going to introduce it regardless of what the outcome of the election was. It just so happens that this is the timing now.”
Initiative petitions once required signatures from 10 per cent of registered voters provincewide for certain initiatives, rising to 20 per cent for others. Bill 54 lowered that bar to 10 per cent of the number of eligible voters who voted in the last election.

May 12, 2025: Lawyer Jeffrey Rath (Alberta Prosperity Project) presented (did not submit) his group's proposed question for a referendum on Alberta separation. The group sought the Alberta government to hold a referendum on the matter by the end of 2025.

May 15, 2025: Bill 54 received Royal Assent.

June 30, 2025: Thomas Lukaszuk's 'Alberta Forever Canada' petition application was approved, petition issued July 30, 2025.

July 4, 2025: Mitch Sylvestre's (Alberta Prosperity Project) petition was submitted to Elections Alberta, which was referred to Court of King's Bench by Alberta's Chief Electoral Officer.

December 5, 2025: Court of King's Bench Justice ruled the question, "Do you agree that the province of Alberta shall become a sovereign country and cease to be a province in Canada?" to be unconstitutional.

December 22, 2025: A Referendum Relating to 'Alberta Independence' petition application approved, petition issued January 2, 2026.

Everything I wrote in my previous post is accurate. The referendum for Alberta to remain in Canada came first. To suggest that Smith's government made this long in the works change (Bill 54) in order to facilitate separation is false.

Neither petition has reached the referendum stage.

Fair enough (I see I missed a word). The submitted referendum question for Alberta to remain in Canada came first. To suggest that Smith's government made this long in the works change (Bill 54) in order to facilitate separation is false.

~

[T Bear]

Neither petition has reached the referendum stage.

Fair enough (I see I missed a word). The submitted referendum question for Alberta to remain in Canada came first. To suggest that Smith's government made this long in the works change (Bill 54) in order to facilitate separation is false.

~

Yep, the judiciary did it ^^.

Compelling Smith to change the Bill,

https://calgary.citynews.ca/2025/12/10/ ... ndum-bill/

[T Bear]

Fair enough (I see I missed a word). The submitted referendum question for Alberta to remain in Canada came first. To suggest that Smith's government made this long in the works change (Bill 54) in order to facilitate separation is false.

~

Yep, the judiciary did it ^^.

Compelling Smith to change the Bill,

https://calgary.citynews.ca/2025/12/10/ ... ndum-bill/

And as to the first,

On May 12, 2025, Jeffrey Rath, lawyer for the separatist Alberta Prosperity Project, presented his group's proposed question for a referendum on Alberta separation. The question read: "Do you agree that the Province of Alberta shall become a sovereign country and cease to be a province of Canada?"[56] The group seeks the Alberta government to hold a referendum on the matter by the end of 2025.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alberta_s ... nada%3F%22

(Thomas Lukaszuk) spearheaded a Alberta Forever Canada citizen initiative in opposition to Alberta separating from Canada. On June 30, Elections Alberta approved Lukaszuk's application for Alberta Forever Canada and issued the petition which meant that signature collection could begin.[19] The petition was launched on August 2 in Edmonton.[20] The goal is to collect 293,976 signatures representing 10% of Alberta's electorate by October 28 which would force a referendum.[21] The official campaign website for Forever Canadian includes regular updates on public locations for in-person voting.[22] The CIP question is: Do you agree that Alberta should remain in Canada?[22]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Lukaszuk

On July 5, 2025, Mitch Sylvestre, on behalf of the Alberta Prosperity Project, submitted a citizen initiative petition to Elections Alberta for Alberta independence.[57] The CIP question proposed is: "Do you agree that the province of Alberta shall become a sovereign country and cease to be a province in Canada?"

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alberta_s ... nada%3F%22

[Rejigger]

The other thing to be examined is the position of Premier Smith. Her government made it easier for Alberta separatists to force a constitutional referendum, by lowering the number of signatures required for a successful referendum on separation from 600,000 to 177,000. A clear concession to the extreme elements of the UCP.

As Smith has previously stated, lowering the number of signatures was in the works long before this most recent version of a separitist movement hit the mainstream.
Also, Thomas Lukaszuk's referendum for Alberta to remain in Canada came first.
So to suggest that Smith's government made this change in order to facilitate separation is false.

Then you chimed in with this...

Real. ^^ Nope, the judicially disallowed separatist petition came first, then Smith changed the rules, and started to complain about the judiciary system.

Regarding the number of signatures needed to initiate a referendum:
According to the timeline of events... Bill 54 received Royal Assent on May 15, 2025 and Thomas Lukaszuk's petition was approved June 4, 2025

---------------

And as to the first,
...
On May 12, 2025 ... presented his group's proposed question for a referendum...
On June 30, ... Elections Alberta approved Lukaszuk's application...
On July 5, 2025, ... submitted a citizen initiative petition to Elections Alberta...

You've just reiterated what I posted above - that is, the timeline of events.

Thomas Lukaszuk's application for the referendum question for Alberta to remain in Canada came before Mitch Sylvestre's application for the referendum question for Alberta to separate from Canada. Both events occurred after Bill 54 - which lowered the number of signatures required to initiate citizen-led referendums - received Royal Assent.

~

[T Bear]

As Smith has previously stated, lowering the number of signatures was in the works long before this most recent version of a separitist movement hit the mainstream.
Also, Thomas Lukaszuk's referendum for Alberta to remain in Canada came first.
So to suggest that Smith's government made this change in order to facilitate separation is false.

Then you chimed in with this...

Real. ^^ Nope, the judicially disallowed separatist petition came first, then Smith changed the rules, and started to complain about the judiciary system.

Regarding the number of signatures needed to initiate a referendum:
According to the timeline of events... Bill 54 received Royal Assent on May 15, 2025 and Thomas Lukaszuk's petition was approved June 4, 2025

---------------

And as to the first,
...
On May 12, 2025 ... presented his group's proposed question for a referendum...
On June 30, ... Elections Alberta approved Lukaszuk's application...
On July 5, 2025, ... submitted a citizen initiative petition to Elections Alberta...

You've just reiterated what I posted above - that is, the timeline of events.

Thomas Lukaszuk's application for the referendum question for Alberta to remain in Canada came before Mitch Sylvestre's application for the referendum question for Alberta to separate from Canada. Both events occurred after Bill 54 - which lowered the number of signatures required to initiate citizen-led referendums - received Royal Assent.

~

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/ ... -1.7532890

https://albertaprosperityproject.com/fe ... -petition/

[Rejigger]

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/ ... -1.7532890

https://albertaprosperityproject.com/fe ... -petition/

??? The points that are made in those articles are already posted in my previous post regarding the timeline of events.

~

[T Bear]

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/ ... -1.7532890

https://albertaprosperityproject.com/fe ... -petition/

??? The points that are made in those articles are already posted in my previous post regarding the timeline of events.

~

Sorry, last night I posted this in error on the timeline,

https://albertaprosperityproject.com/fe ... -petition/

So I'll concede, but with these notes added,

https://www.jasperlocal.com/2025/10/27/ ... high-road/

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton ... -1.7534041

Because, when I have time, I have something new and a little more complicated to put together considering my ability with using my little 'ol Samsung tablet.

[T Bear]

So I was hoping the Danielle Smith radio show would be on today for a chance that she might deall with this, but it wasn't on.

Anyhow, here's what's up.

From CTV's Alberta Primetime on Feb 5 with Danielle Smith,

MH: You’ve also yet to signal how you’ll deal with Thomas Lukaszuk’s petition.

DS: We’re going to have to put that to a committee, because it’s a little bit more complicated. He’s now withdrawn his request to have it go to a general referendum, and we have to consider that because the actual question that was on there talked about having a referendum. We have 10 sitting days to be able to put it to a panel. I think we’ve got five in the last session. So early in the new session, we’ll strike that panel so we can contemplate what it is we should do with that.

We didn’t want the separatist movement to piggyback on a question that he put forward to try to demonstrate support for Alberta. I think there may have been a number of people who signed it thinking they were going to vote ‘no’, but that’s why the separatists have to do their work and see if they can get a similar number of petition signatures. We’ll make a judgment at that time, once we see whether those petitions are successful. I think we’ll know by the beginning of May.

https://www.ctvnews.ca/edmonton/alberta ... hospitals/

On Feb 10 with Thomas Lukaszuk,

Michael Higgins: The premier on Alberta Primetime last week said you had withdrawn your request to have your petition question go to a general referendum. What’s your reaction to what she had to say?

Thomas Lukaszuk: I don’t know what reality the premier lives in. It’s completely a lie. I have not withdrawn anything. There is no way to withdraw anything. Our petition with 556,000 signatures has been filed with Elections Alberta, has been certified and approved and is now in the premier’s hands in the legislature. Nothing has been amended, nothing has been withdrawn, nothing has been changed. I have no clue what the premier is talking about.

https://www.ctvnews.ca/edmonton/alberta ... eferendum/

Which then i found lead to this question,

When Spin Becomes Lies: The Danielle Smith Referendum Deception

What Happens to Democracy When Truth Becomes Optional?

Vince Hill

Feb 11, 2026

When half a million Albertans sign a petition declaring their allegiance to Canada, you’d think the message would be clear. But in Alberta’s current political climate, Premier Danielle Smith has discovered something more powerful than truth: the audacity to simply deny reality and hope no one notices.​

Last week on Alberta Primetime, Smith claimed that Thomas Lukaszuk (the former deputy premier who spearheaded the massively successful Forever Canadian petition) had “retracted” his request for the petition question to be included in a general referendum. It was a convenient narrative for a premier increasingly cornered by her flirtation with separatists. There was just one problem: it was completely false.​

The Lie, Plain and Simple

Lukaszuk’s response was unequivocal: “I’m unsure which reality the premier is referencing. Her claim is entirely false. I haven’t retracted anything”. The petition, bearing 456,388 signatures, has been certified by Elections Alberta and sits in the legislature under the premier’s purview. No withdrawals. No amendments. No changes whatsoever.​

This isn’t spin. This isn’t massaging the message or putting a favourable interpretation on ambiguous facts. This is a premier fabricating a story about a political opponent (on television, in her official capacity) knowing it can be easily disproven. And therein lies the most disturbing element: the brazenness suggests she either doesn’t care about being caught or believes her supporters won’t bother checking.

The Separatist Double Standard

The contrast between Smith’s treatment of Lukaszuk’s pro-Canada petition and her embrace of separatist movements reveals the depth of this deception. When Smith’s government introduced Bill 54, it dramatically reduced the signature threshold for citizen-initiated referendums from approximately 293,976 to just 177,000. This change conveniently propelled separatist groups toward their goal. The Alberta Prosperity Project and Stay Free Alberta quickly mobilized, with massive lineups forming at community halls across the province to sign petitions advocating for independence.

Smith has repeatedly stated she’s “not going to prejudge what citizens will do concerning a petition,” positioning herself as a neutral facilitator of “the purest form of democracy”. Yet when Lukaszuk delivers more than three times the required signatures for a pro-Canada position, she falsely claims he’s backing away from democratic process.​

The Referendum Ruse

Perhaps the most cynical aspect of Alberta’s referendum theatre is the argument advanced by some of the separatist organizers and their supporters at signature collection events: that collecting signatures merely demonstrates support for holding a referendum, not for independence itself. In interviews and conversations with supporters and organizers, the claim has been made, “people can vote as they wish, even to remain,” framing the exercise as purely about democratic consultation rather than advocating a predetermined outcome.​

But walk past any Stay Free Alberta event and the signage tells a different story. “Alberta is going to be a free and independent country,” declares Jeffrey Rath of Stay Free Alberta, standing before crowds of hundreds. The messaging isn’t about democratic consultation. It’s about independence. The petition drives feature speakers promoting the economic benefits of separation, attendees expressing frustration that “we aren’t listened to here in Alberta like they are in the East,” and explicit talk of Alberta becoming “a country”.

If the goal is truly just to “let people vote,” why the independence rallies? Why the separatist rhetoric? Why the coordinated campaign across dozens of communities promoting the virtues of leaving Canada? The disconnect between what separatist supporters claim in interviews (we just want a referendum) and what happens at their events (independence advocacy) reveals the bad faith at the movement’s core. And Smith, by facilitating this process while lying about Lukaszuk’s pro-Canada petition, has chosen a side.

When Politicians Stop Pretending

There was a time when political spin operated within certain bounds. Politicians would emphasize favourable facts, downplay unfavourable ones, or frame situations to their advantage. But the underlying facts existed, contestable though their interpretation might be.

What Smith has done crosses that line into a different territory entirely. When you claim someone withdrew a petition that provably remains active, you’re not spinning. You’re lying. When you facilitate separatist petitions while falsely claiming the largest pro-Canada petition in Canadian history has been retracted, you’re not just misleading. You’re engaged in deliberate deception designed to manipulate public understanding of democratic will.

The Moral Compass Question

Where is the accountability? What happened to the ethical standards we expect from those who serve the public?

The challenge for Alberta (and for democracies everywhere grappling with post-truth politics) is that traditional accountability mechanisms assume politicians fear being caught in lies. They assume shame, political consequence, or electoral backlash will constrain behaviour. But what happens when a premier calculates that her base either won’t hear the correction, won’t believe it, or won’t care?

Lukaszuk responded immediately with facts. Media covered the contradiction. Yet Smith faces no apparent consequence for a verifiable falsehood about a democratic process. The lie simply enters the information ecosystem alongside the truth, and citizens must navigate between competing realities.​

What Are We To Do?

The answer cannot be resignation to do nothing. When 456,388 (of which 404,293 were verified) Albertans sign a petition and their premier lies about its status, those signatures represent more than policy preference. They represent citizens engaging in democracy who now watch their participation being misrepresented at the highest level of government.​

We must insist on the distinction between spin and lies. We must call falsehoods what they are, repeatedly and loudly, until the political cost of lying exceeds its benefit. We must support journalists and fact-checkers who do the unglamorous work of comparing claims to reality. And we must remember that democracy doesn’t function when leaders can simply fabricate convenient alternative facts without consequence.

Thomas Lukaszuk’s petition hasn’t been withdrawn. It sits in the legislature, backed by 13.6% of Alberta Electors, waiting for MLAs to vote on whether Alberta’s official policy should be to remain in Canada. That Premier Smith would lie about this basic fact tells us everything about where her moral compass points and how far our politics have drifted from the ethical foundations democratic governance requires.​

The line between spin and lies isn’t blurry. Danielle Smith has crossed it. The question now is whether Albertans will hold her accountable, or whether we’ve entered an era where truth is simply one option among many, to be selected or discarded based on political convenience.

https://vincehill.substack.com/p/when-s ... e-danielle

So is the truth in Alberta an option for the Premier to excercise at her disgression?

And shouldn't we heed Hill's call to action everywhere?

[nepal]

.
Meanwhile, the rest of Canada comes together, during the good and the bad.

[T Bear]

.
Meanwhile, the rest of Canada comes together, during the good and the bad.

United and strong for the people of Tumbler Ridge and all of Canada. What a moment. Would that it could last forever.