More than a dozen UCP MLAs said to support pro-separatist petition

Alberta's premier has said she supports a united Canada, but more than a dozen from her caucus have been listed as supporters of a petition on separation.

A petition calling for a referendum on Alberta separation is said to be supported by 19 UCP MLAs.

That’s according to a list now posted on the Republican Party of Alberta (RPA) website.

The list had previously been circulating among some political insiders for about a year.

The RPA says the list at one time included two more UCP MLAs, until the party received word from Rajan Sawhney and RJ Sigurdson clarifying they are not supporting independence.

“Other MLAs have chosen, for nearly a year now, to let the record stand,” said Cameron Davies, leader of the RPA.

“If UCP MLAs wish to turn their backs on the voters who elected them and who support independence, they can do so publicly. Albertans deserve to know who they will be campaigning with and against.”

One of those MLAs, Joseph Schow, says he doesn’t support it.

“I didn’t sign the petition. What I would say is I think Canada could work. I think we have tremendous opportunities, incredible things here in Alberta, but not without making sure we are fighting for Alberta’s best interests,” the province’s minister of jobs, economy, trade and immigration said.

CTV contacted the other 18 MLAs but did not receive a response from any of them directly.

Instead, the UCP caucus provided a statement saying, “Citizen-initiated referendum petitions should be a grassroots process left to private citizens to sign, not elected officials.”

The UCP caucus added, “We support a strong and sovereign Alberta within a united Canada.”

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith used that same phrase when asked about the petition.

She said members of her caucus can sign the petition if they want.

She said many Albertans are upset about Justin Trudeau-era politics.

“There are a million or more Albertans, based on the polling I’ve seen, who’ve lost hope in Canada,” said Smith in an interview with CTV.

“My view is that my job and the prime minister’s job is to give people hope back. That’s why we signed the (memorandum of understanding), and it’s why we’re working really hard to implement it—to address some of these frictions.

“I hope that gives those Albertans some comfort that the last 10 years are not going to be repeated for the next 10 years, but we’ve got some work to do on the implementation of that.”

The Alberta Prosperity Project started the petition because it wants the province to become independent and thinks MLAs should be able to declare their support for the petition.

“From my perspective, MLAs are being muzzled and can’t campaign in favour of Alberta independence while Danielle Smith runs around playing federalist,” said Jeffrey Rath, legal counsel with the Alberta Prosperity Project.

Keith Brownsey, a political science professor with Mount Royal University, says the ambiguity of whether or not these 19 UCP MLAs support the petition started by separatists could be damaging for the whole province.

“Should they come out and say that they signed the petition? That they didn’t sign it? They’ve got to do all of this and very quickly,” he said.

The Calgary Chamber of Commerce says it could influence whether or not investors choose Alberta.

“Anything that introduces an element of uncertainty from an investment standpoint is not net-positive for the province, and it’s not good for the country either,” said Deborah Yedlin, president and CEO of the Calgary Chamber of Commerce.