Elections Alberta set to verify separatist referendum petition after court stay
Advertisement
Read this article for free:
or
Already have an account? Log in here »
We need your support!
Local journalism needs your support!
As we navigate through unprecedented times, our journalists are working harder than ever to bring you the latest local updates to keep you safe and informed.
Now, more than ever, we need your support.
Starting at $15.99 plus taxes every four weeks you can access your Brandon Sun online and full access to all content as it appears on our website.
Subscribe Nowor call circulation directly at (204) 727-0527.
Your pledge helps to ensure we provide the news that matters most to your community!
To continue reading, please subscribe:
Add Brandon Sun access to your Free Press subscription for only an additional
$1 for the first 4 weeks*
- Enjoy unlimited reading on brandonsun.com
- Read the Brandon Sun E-Edition, our digital replica newspaper
*Your next Free Press subscription payment will increase by $1.00 and you will be charged $20.95 plus GST for four weeks. After four weeks, your payment will increase to $24.95 plus GST every four weeks.
Read unlimited articles for free today:
or
Already have an account? Log in here »
EDMONTON – Elections Alberta says it’s set to begin verifying the signatures on a petition looking to force a vote on the province separating from Canada.
The petition was submitted in early May, but just two weeks later a judge quashed it after ruling the petition was out of line with provincial law and that First Nations needed to be consulted.
But last week the group behind the petition earned a partial win in court when another judge ruled the signature verification process should take place while the original ruling is appealed.
Elections Alberta says the boxes of petition sheets have been stored in locked cabinets and monitored by security guards, and that it is to publish the results by July 27.
The petition group, Stay Free Alberta, has said almost 302,000 signatures were collected, far more than the nearly 178,000 needed to force the province to take action.
Premier Danielle Smith has called referendum for Oct. 19, when Albertans will be asked if they want to remain in Canada or start the process of having a second, binding vote on separating.
Smith has said that since the appeal process is expected to take months, if not longer, it’s not possible to have a binding vote on separation this fall.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 6, 2026.