The Albertan government, which has just softened its rules concerning the submission of a referendum question of popular initiative, would not oppose a referendum on its sovereignty being held next year if a citizen initiative made it possible to obtain enough signatures in this sense.
• Read also: Alberta introduces a law that would make a referendum easier on its sovereignty
During a speech to the nation on Monday afternoon, Prime Minister Danielle Smith said that even if her government did not intend to hold a referendum on this subject, he would not oppose it if a citizen initiative managed to ask.
The question could thus be subject to the vote of the Alberta population next year.
“Our government will not put forward the separation of our Canada province by a referendum ballot,” she said. “However, if there was a civic petition which obtained a sufficient number of signatures on this subject, asking that this question be subject to a referendum, our government would respect the democratic process and include it in the referendum ballot next year.”
The Alberta government also announced last week, the day after the election of Mark Carney, that it would soften the process allowing Albertan citizens to submit a referendum question.
This decision has been made so that several questions per year can be offered to the Albertans.
“We want to put the bar high, but not a bar that is impossible to reach,” said Mr.me Smith.
Changes to the law, if adopted, would half the number of signatures required, bringing them from 20% to 10% of the number of voters who voted in previous provincial elections.
The time required to raise these signatures would also be extended, from 90 to 120 days.
