Alberta’s country music star, Corb Lund, reported that his team has amassed adequate signatures to prompt the provincial government to take action against coal mining in the eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains. Lund did not disclose the exact number of signatures obtained, but nearly 178,000 signatures are mandated by provincial regulations.
The subsequent step involves submitting the names to Elections Alberta for validation, a process Lund intends to complete on the final day of the petition campaign this Wednesday, as indicated in a news release on Monday. Lund emphasized that surpassing the signature threshold confirms the significant public concern for safeguarding the headwaters, Rocky Mountains, and the local way of life.
The petition sought support for forbidding new coal mining in the Rockies due to the perceived environmental risks, particularly to water sources. Over the past four months, Lund’s initiative, known as “Water Not Coal,” has garnered signatures at various events, including a lengthy horseback ride from Longview, Alberta, to Edmonton. The group reported enlisting over 3,000 canvassers for the cause.
A successful petition would compel Premier Danielle Smith’s United Conservative government to contemplate enacting a law to prohibit coal mining or potentially subject it to a province-wide referendum. Despite meeting the signature threshold, Lund expressed skepticism about the government’s willingness to act on the matter.
Laura Laing, a rancher and spokesperson for Water Not Coal, emphasized the necessity of securing permanent protection for water sources, agricultural corridors, and the Rockies, underscoring the grassroots nature of the democratic process.
The UCP has defended its mining plans by asserting stringent environmental safeguards, job creation, and the supply of a crucial resource. Premier Smith has endorsed direct democracy, citing Lund’s petition as an illustration of the government’s commitment to representing Albertans’ voices. The Premier has already announced an upcoming vote on October 19 regarding the province’s continued inclusion within Canada or the initiation of a potential secession referendum.
The province’s citizen-led initiative law mandates that if the signatures are validated, the proposal must undergo review by a committee of lawmakers before a government decision is reached. The legislative session is not scheduled to reconvene until October 27, and the government will await the conclusion of the signature verification process before taking further action.
Alberta has faced ongoing challenges in revising its coal policy, notably with the UCP’s removal of longstanding protections against open-pit coal mining in the eastern slopes of the Rockies in 2020. Following public outcry, the UCP reinstated these protections and halted exploration lease sales, with subsequent plans to prohibit mountaintop removal and new open-pit mines still in the finalization stage while existing projects remain under consideration.