A legislative committee in Alberta faced chaos on Wednesday due to a premature news release by the UCP caucus, assuming an outcome of a vote not yet taken. The release stated that the committee had agreed to send the Forever Canadian petition question to a referendum on October 19. This statement, attributed to Brandon Lunty, UCP MLA and committee chair, was made before any official vote occurred.
During the committee session, Christina Gray of the NDP raised a point of privilege, arguing that concerns should be addressed by Speaker Ric McIver and suggested that Lunty should recuse himself due to his involvement in the news release. Despite this, UCP members, including Jason Nixon and Nate Glubish, along with MLA Tara Sawyer, voted against a motion to involve McIver, while Lunty did not step down.
The meeting ended unresolved as NDP members refused to extend the meeting past its scheduled time, leaving the fate of the Forever Canadian question uncertain until the next meeting called by Lunty on Thursday at 2 p.m. Deputy NDP leader Rakhi Pancholi criticized the premature release, questioning the integrity of the process.
In a separate development, the select special citizen initiative proposal review committee, comprising UCP and NDP MLAs, continued discussions on the Forever Canadian petition by former deputy premier Thomas Lukaszuk. The petition, which garnered over 400,000 signatures, surpassing the required threshold, asks if Alberta should remain in Canada.
Lukaszuk reiterated his desire for the question to be decided in the legislature, countering UCP members’ assertions that he favored a referendum. Lukaszuk emphasized that the decision lies with the government, not the petitioner. Meanwhile, a recent court ruling invalidated a separatist petition and raised concerns about treaty rights and consultation with First Nations.
As the debate over the referendum intensifies, Lukaszuk urged Premier Danielle Smith to consider her own referendum on the matter. However, tensions remain high, with Stay Free Alberta supporters warning of potential betrayal if the Forever Canadian question proceeds to a vote.