EDMONTON, Alberta — A separatist movement in Canada’s Alberta province announced Monday that it has delivered nearly 302,000 petition signatures calling for a referendum on independence from Canada, significantly surpassing the threshold needed to force provincial consideration of such a vote.
Stay Free Alberta, the organization behind the effort, required 178,000 verified signatures to compel the province to move forward with referendum proceedings.
Provincial Premier Danielle Smith has previously stated that a verified petition would result in a referendum being held, though she has expressed personal opposition to the oil-rich province’s departure from Canada.
Mitch Sylvestre, who leads Stay Free Alberta, delivered the petition signatures to the Elections Alberta headquarters in Edmonton Monday, arriving with a convoy of seven trucks carrying the documentation.
“We’re happy with the number,” Sylvestre stated. He noted that signature verification procedures involved multiple reviews of most petition documents.
The delivery drew more than 300 supporters who gathered outside the elections office, displaying Alberta’s provincial flag and shouting “Alberta strong.”
The independence effort may encounter legal obstacles this week, as an Edmonton judge is anticipated to decide on a lawsuit filed by several Alberta First Nations groups. These Indigenous communities argue that provincial separation would breach existing treaty agreements.
Smith has criticized past federal Liberal administrations for enacting policies that she claims have restricted Alberta’s oil production and export capabilities, resulting in billions in lost revenue for the province. She has also expressed opposition to federal interference in provincial matters.
Prime Minister Mark Carney’s federal administration has not yet issued a response to Monday’s petition submission.
