INNISFAIL – The local Forever Canadian campaign is holding its first public petition drive Sunday near the annual Innisfail Kinsmen Car Show, an event that is expected to attract more than 1,000 motor vehicle enthusiasts.
Local canvassers for the petition drive will have a table set up from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., a block south from Main Street and the car show on a vacant lot next to Pharmasave Jackson's.
The provincial Forever Canadian initiative, created by former Progressive Conservative deputy premier Thomas Lukaszuk, has recently gathered steam from news that provincial separatists just lost an application in Alberta’s Court of King's Bench to quash a review of their proposed Alberta referendum question.
Alberta separatists wanted the question "Do you agree that the Province of Alberta shall become a sovereign country and cease to be a province in Canada?" to go forward without judicial review.
Justice Colin Feasby ruled on Aug. 14 it would benefit democracy to have a full hearing on the constitutionality of the question.
“It’s a clear victory for Canada, for democracy, for the independence of our chief electoral officer, and definitely a loss for the separatists and for our premier and for the minister of justice who argued for the other side,” Lukaszuk told the Albertan after Feasby released his decision.
“They (separatists) can't appeal this. They have to go through the process that the judge laid out now, and the judge made it clear the chief electoral commissioner did the right thing by deferring that question to the court and asking whether it's constitutional.
“And the judge raised concerns about the separatist question because he does indicate it definitely could be unconstitutional, whereas it infringes not only on First Nations treaty rights, but also on Albertans' rights; our right to mobility, our right to employment and all that.”
And the battle between pro-Canada and separatists will go on with more court hearings.
“The decision was as expected,” said Jeffrey Rath, legal counsel for the pro-separatist group Alberta Prosperity Project (APP) in a media release. “The court rarely decides matters on a striking application.
“We look forward to hearing how asking a question about amending the Constitution can be unconstitutional.”
Feasby said on Aug. 14 he will attempt to expedite future hearings, notably on whether APP’s proposed question meets the constitutional test.
Lukaszuk said he is fully ready to do battle, not only with his petition initiative but in the courts.
“And even more so because the courts are watching what is happening,” he said. “The judge very clearly indicated today that there is a legal process, but also a political process at play here, so we need to send a stronger signal than ever.
“Because when we appear before the courts, we will be speaking on behalf of those who are part of this campaign and who are signing our petitions. The more people we can officially speak on behalf of, the better,” added Lukaszuk. “When our lawyers stand up before the judge and say, ‘we represent so many Albertans,’ we have to have it backed by the number of signatures that we have.”
Petition drive
The 56-year-old Lukaszuk said he now feels more energized than ever to continue his Alberta Forever Canadian petition campaign that was officially launched at the beginning of August after receiving Elections Alberta approval.
“My God, it's just literally exploding on us. These events for gathering petitions are just literally everywhere right now,” said Lukaszuk.
And while there has been significant enthusiasm with urban Albertans to sign the Forever Canadian petition, which ask citizens, ‘Do you agree that Alberta should remain in Canada?,’ there is still a big hill to climb, notably in the rural areas.
“It’s like building an airplane while flying it. We're putting this campaign together while we're campaigning,” said Lukaszuk, whose campaign must gather nearly 300,000 signatures in 90 days as his application was approved before new provincial rules.
The separatist side, however, only requires 177,000 signatures in four months to get its question on a ballot.
“We have to get all these volunteers together, and so it's a challenge,” said Lukaszuk.
Rural Alberta
Lukaszuk is promising citizens from Innisfail to Olds and down to Carstairs that he and the Alberta Forever Canadian campaign will soon be in the central Alberta heartland to promote support to forever keep Alberta part of Canada.
“I will 100 per cent be there,” said Lukaszuk. “I want to particularly focus on rural Alberta because you know what?
“There is a horrible misconception that rural Alberta are rednecks and they all want to separate, and I want to get rid of that misconception because it is simply not true,” he added. “Some of the most proud, loyal Canadians live in rural Alberta. They've been farming on some farms way over 100 years, and have been proud Canadians for all those years, and they don't want to separate.”
And in Innisfail there are many citizens who have joined the fight for Canada as volunteers, including Bev Carson, Jim Carroll, and Jason Heistad.
“It's a good thing to do. It's the right thing to do. I know everyone can't do it, but in order to get that many signatures. It takes a lot of people with a lot of reach, not just the big centres, but small towns,” said Carroll, adding he believes the pro-separatist side can not be happy with the court decision on Aug. 14.
“It’ll anger those on the separatist side, because they already think it's just a question, let's ask it,” he said. “And on our side, for non-separatists, it'll embolden us even more and gain more publicity.”
Carson said while “spirits” were picked up with the Aug. 14 court decision she also knows there is still a long fight ahead but one with countless others on her side.
“I'm getting pictures from my family in Calgary where 500 people are lined up, and Thomas is posting pictures an hour in advance where they're lined up by the hundreds,” said Carson. “I'm absolutely committed to Alberta, staying as part of Canada. I'm happy to put my voice and time into this effort.
“A 90-year-old citizen from Innisfail drove to Edmonton to sign one of the first petitions because her husband served, and I don't want our 90-year-olds to have to drive,” she added. “We will get them done here.”
Heistad, a veteran Town of Innisfail councillor, added it’s important for Lukaszuk to come to Innisfail, as it is a diverse and inclusive community in the rural Alberta heartland.
“It validates that this guy cares not only about the big centres but the small, rural communities. Innisfail is a great community, and it (petition) is going to be very well received” said Heistad. “Thomas has done a great job with this campaign.
“It's a grassroots campaign. It's funded by everyday Albertans.”
