Alberta Prosperity Projects reveals new referendum question, with 1M signature goal

With a new law clearing the way for easier citizen-initiated votes, Alberta’s largest separatist group has formally filed a new question for an independence referendum.

Source: Wikimedia Commons

With a new law clearing the way for easier citizen-initiated votes, Alberta’s largest separatist group has formally filed a new question for an independence referendum.

In a post to X, Alberta Prosperity Project (APP) general counsel Jeffrey Rath announced that CEO Mitch Sylvestre and lawyer Eva Chipiuk attended the Office of the Chief Electoral Officer to file paperwork advancing the revised question:

“Do you agree that Alberta shall cease to be a province in Canada and become an independent state?”

The question differs slightly from the original separation referendum question unveiled by the group in May, which was: “Do you agree that the province of Alberta shall become a Sovereign Country and cease to be a province of Canada?”

Rath told True North that the change was made to more closely align with Section 1(3) of the Clarity Act.

“In considering the clarity of a referendum question, the House of Commons shall consider whether the question would result in a clear expression of the will of the population of a province on whether the province should cease to be part of Canada and become an independent state,” reads Section 1(3) of the Clarity Act.

The question was revealed an hour after Bill 14 received Royal Assent in the Alberta Legislature.

“Royal Assent for Bill 14 today is the breakthrough we’ve fought for—it’s game on for Alberta’s independence. This question empowers every citizen to vote yes for a brighter, sovereign future,” said Sylvestre in a press release.

Rath explained that Bill 14 now requires the group to submit a notice of intention and then wait 30 days to file the official application. He celebrated being the first in line, confirming that signature collection will begin in late January or early February.

He said they will start by reaching out to the over 300,000 Albertans who pledged to sign the petition, set up various collection areas, conduct door-to-door campaigns, and aim for 100 town halls a month.

Rath told True North the Alberta Prosperity Project (APP) aims to collect one million signatures.

He said they will do everything in their power to collect more than Thomas Lukaszuk, who surpassed 450,000 signatures for his anti-separation petition. However, Lukaszuk was later accused of misleading supporters after subsequently disavowing a referendum.

The lawyer clarified that because the APP’s question is a constitutional matter, it must be a standalone question, according to the statute.

He said he does not expect Alberta Premier Danielle Smith to confuse Albertans by asking two similar questions, adding that Lukaszuk’s referendum question does not need to be honoured because it was a policy question.

“We’re going to be doing everything we can to convince our fellow Albertans that life without any federal taxes or any federal regulation is a life worth living,” he said.

Rath explained he hoped to distribute millions of copies of the Value of Freedom across the province, stating that residents’ disposable income could increase by 33 per cent simply by removing federal income tax, including GST, excise tax and corporate income tax.

The Alberta Prosperity Project previously revealed its fiscal blueprint. The plan estimates that between 2025 and 2045, an independent Alberta would generate direct revenue of $4.71 trillion, save up to $678.5 billion and generate 300,000 to 450,000 jobs while adding $1.3 to $1.4 trillion to the Heritage Fund.

Total economic activity is estimated at around $8.2 trillion.