Citizen-led petitions shaping Alberta’s political landscape

Whether supporting efforts to recall MLAs or weighing in on the province's role within Confederation, Albertans are helping shape the political landscape.

Wherever you look in Alberta, there is a petition, from more than two dozen MLA recall campaigns to the Forever Canadian push for the province to remain part of the country and a separatist push for the opposite.

Tuesday night, a Stay Free Alberta town hall was held in Water Valley to gather signatures for the latter.

It marked the first day of signing for the petition, which asks, “Do you agree that the province of Alberta should cease to be a part of Canada to become an independent state?”

Elections Alberta said the proponent is the Alberta Prosperity Project, run by CEO Mitch Sylvestre and Jeffrey Rath.

“Water Valley, it has a population of 225 people. We had 349 people show up and pack the little Water Valley town hall,” said Rath.

Rath has led the Alberta Independence campaign and was the first to sign the petition Tuesday.

“I was really touched that they asked me to be the first one to sign the petition. I was thrilled to do it. It was certainly my honour to do it,” he said.

“I think it’s a great moment for Alberta that we are now live, gathering signatures to rescue Alberta from the clutches of people in Ottawa.”

Rath is hoping to secure 13,000 signatures in the 87 constituencies across Alberta and submit around one million signatures to Elections Alberta at the end of signature collection, which is May 2.

There are 26 recall petitions against Alberta MLAs, including cabinet ministers RJ Sigurdson and Demetrios Nicolaides.

Molly Metcalf started the recall petition against Highwood MLA Sigurdson because of his vote to use the notwithstanding clause against teachers last fall during salary negotiations and a strike.

She says she and volunteers have been harassed and are afraid of being doxed.

“As soon as I first started, I actually received a threatening email, saying that I would be physically harassed and anyone who helped me would be physically harassed, as well as have our information released,” said Metcalf.

“We’ve also had people coming between the table and people who come up to sign just to prevent signing or prevent it from being easy to sign.”

She says some people are even taking pictures of the volunteers.

“We had people coming and taking pictures of us as canvassers and signers and saying they’re going to put them online,” said Metcalf.

RCMP confirm they were called in November by Metcalf and documented the complaint but that there is no active investigation.

Metcalf has until Feb. 22 to collect 15,788 signatures for the petition to succeed.

Her most recent count was sitting around 500 confirmed signatures.

One of the first recall campaigns was launched against Education Minister Demetrios Nicolaides in the riding of Calgary-Bow.

Campaign organizer Jenny Yeremiy says she has gathered 6,000 signatures since the end of October but needs another 10,000 to trigger a constituency-wide vote.

“This is a really high bar. This is election-level activity without election-level advertising or lead-up,” said Yeremiy.

Yeremiy says there will be a major signing blitz next week as the final days count down.

“Our biggest issue is reach. We meet a lot of people at the doors who say, ‘What’s happening now?’”

Yeremiy says she, too, has witnessed harassment during the petition campaign.

“We’ve had the police called on us at locations,” she said.

“We’ve had people show up at events and tell places that we’re not allowed to be there. So, they’re watching where we post, and they’re trying to make sure that these businesses don’t allow us (in).”

Mount Royal University political science professor Lori Williams says the scope of debate around politics has changed.

“It’s about attacking people rather than debating ideas, and that’s quite unfortunate,” she said.

“A lot of people are trying to keep it focused on the ideas, but we’ve seen this on all kinds of levels.”

Williams says the tensions are sowing political division.

“There’s a real danger of an escalation of polarization and divisions, (which) could really negatively affect just the day-to-day interactions that Albertans have,” said Williams.