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Alberta’s Unity Petition Launches as Secession Question Goes to Court

Signature collection for a unity petition begins after Gordon McClure referred the rival secession question to the Court of King’s Bench for constitutional scrutiny.

An Alberta flag flaps in the breeze with Mt. Kidd in the background at the site of the G7 Leaders meeting in Kananaskis, Alta., Monday, June 2, 2025.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith and Minister of Justice Mickey Amery announce proposed changes to several pieces of democratic process legislation, in Edmonton on Tuesday April 29, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jason Franson
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith and Justice Minister Mickey Amery last April 29.
Mitch Sylvestre, CEO of Alberta Prosperity Project. Sylvestre's question on separatism may violate Canada's constitution

Overview

  • Under laws revamped by Bill 54, former deputy premier Thomas Lukaszuk’s pro-unity petition must secure about 294,000 signatures in 90 days to enshrine Alberta’s non-separation policy.
  • McClure has sent the Alberta Prosperity Project’s question—“Do you agree that the Province of Alberta shall become a sovereign country and cease to be a province in Canada?”—to court to verify compliance with over 30 constitutional provisions.
  • Premier Danielle Smith and Justice Minister Mickey Amery urged Elections Alberta to drop the court reference and approve the separation question without additional bureaucratic hurdles.
  • The chief electoral officer defended his referral as an independent, non-partisan duty under the Citizen Initiative Act given the potential impact of a sovereignty vote.
  • If the court clears the secession question, proponents will have four months to collect 177,000 signatures to qualify the referendum for a provincial ballot.