Alberta referendum debate hits snag after UCP communication blunder

A statement from the UCP saying the Forever Canadian petition would go ahead was later retracted after a chaotic debate among a bipartisan committee.

A communications blunder from the United Conservative Party’s caucus Wednesday forced another roadblock in Alberta’s journey toward holding a fall referendum on the province’s independence from Canada.

The UCP jumped the gun by announcing a bipartisan legislature committee had passed a motion that would formally ask Premier Danielle Smith and her cabinet to bring Thomas Lukaszuk’s Forever Canadian petition to the referendum ballot in October — all while the idea was still being debated by the committee.

The news release even included laudatory quotes from UCP backbencher Brandon Lunty, who served as the committee chair.

Minutes later, the UCP caucus retracted the media release, saying it was released in error.

The debate has been delayed until at least Thursday.

Alberta’s Opposition NDP claim the government has already rigged a decision on a potential fall separation vote, with the snafu.

“Often times it feels like the politics of the UCP is a stage play to exercise their power to do what they want,” Christina Gray, NDP MLA for Edmonton-Mill Woods, said during the committee meeting.

The opposition party is also accusing the debate that took place during a select special citizen proposal committee over Lukaszuk’s petition of being a “sham.”

“The support for separatism has not changed in this province. The only thing that’s changed is the rules of the game that the UCP designed to ensure that separatism is going to be on a referendum before Albertans,” said Alberta NDP Deputy Leader Rakhi Pancholi.

The committee was meeting to decide whether Lukaszuk’s proposed question — “Do you believe that Alberta should remain in Canada? — will appear on a referendum ballot.

As debate continued, the UCP caucus issued a media release saying the committee recommended that cabinet include Lukaszuk’s question on a referendum ballot on Oct. 19 that will also include nine other questions.

The party issued a retraction notice about 20 minutes later.

But Lukaszuk insists the ball now rests firmly with the province.

“If this committee proposes that the Forever Canadian question is to be put to a referendum, government will be the proponent of a question on breaking up Canada. Not anyone else,” Lukaszuk said.

For Mitch Sylvestre — the man behind the Stay Free Alberta petition that garnered 300,000 signatures in favour of having a referendum on Alberta leaving Confederation—putting Lukaszuk’s question to voters wouldn’t bring forward a meaningful constitutional question.

“Putting Lukaszuk’s question in though is not going to work well for anybody,” Sylvestre said. “The whole reason that we’re doing this is so we could have a constitutional question,” said Mitch Sylvestre of Stay Free Alberta.

Sylvestre, whose petition was quashed by an Alberta judge last week, addedthe premier is in an “uncomfortable position” determining next steps in the separation saga — especially since a large part of her voter base is in favour of separation.

Some constitutional lawyers also say bringing Lukaszuk’s petition to a public vote raises more questions.

“If … she goes ahead and puts it on the ballot, she’s potentially opening up a Pandora’s box,” said Errol Mendes, a University of Ottawa constitutional law professor.

Lukaszuk says his question is not constitutional, but rather policy driven. Some UCP members disagree.

“(Lukaszuk) was very clear in his public appearances, talking about winning a referendum and having a referendum on Alberta’s place in Canada,” said UCP committee member Nate Glubish.

The meeting was adjourned due to time constraints with no vote cast. The committee will reconvene on Thursday afternoon.