Alberta’s Petition to Remain in Canada Secures Over 400,000 Signatures

Elections Alberta has confirmed that the **Alberta Forever Canada** citizen initiative petition, aimed at making the province’s commitment to remain part of Canada official, has successfully met all requirements under the **Citizen Initiative Act**. Chief Electoral Officer **Gordon McClure** announced on November 15, 2025, that the petition, which sought to gauge public sentiment on Alberta’s status within Canada, exceeded the necessary threshold of valid signatures.

The initiative was spearheaded by former Progressive Conservative Deputy Premier **Thomas Lukaszuk**, who received approval for the petition on **June 30, 2025**. Signature collection commenced on **July 30** and concluded on **October 28**, 2025. Campaign volunteers delivered boxes filled with completed signatures to the Elections Alberta office in **Edmonton**.

To be deemed successful, the initiative required **293,976** valid signatures, representing **10 percent** of the **2,939,762** electors on the post-2023 election list. After a thorough verification process, Elections Alberta confirmed **438,568** valid signatures. Following a random statistical sampling, a total of **404,293** signatures were verified, accounting for **13.6 percent** of an estimated **2,966,192** registered electors in the province as of May 2025. This count surpassed the necessary threshold, indicating strong public support for the initiative.

As volunteer **Chris Spearman** from Pincher Creek noted, the support for staying in Canada was evenly distributed between urban areas like **Calgary** and **Edmonton**, as well as rural communities. Spearman expressed his satisfaction with the outcome, stating that the petition represented a “positive initiative in what until now was endless negativity.” He also highlighted the challenges faced during the canvassing process, particularly regarding the verification of rural addresses that delayed the registration of canvassers.

On October 28, as the petition was delivered, Spearman recalled the moment when Lukaszuk presented the signed sheets to Elections Alberta. In a message to volunteers, Lukaszuk expressed gratitude for their efforts, stating, “This is your victory.” He acknowledged the mixed sentiments within the province, noting the anxiety surrounding calls for separation from Canada and the support for national unity.

With the petition verified, the next step involves the legislative assembly taking a formal position on the issue. Under Section 12(1) of the act, Elections Alberta submitted a copy of the petition’s policy proposal to the Speaker of the legislative assembly, triggering this process.

Lukaszuk encouraged volunteers to remain engaged as the campaign looks ahead to a possible referendum, describing the group as organized and ready to advocate for national unity. Spearman remarked that the decision now rests with Premier **Danielle Smith** and her government. He emphasized the need for the government to address the strong support demonstrated by the petition, stating, “In my opinion, the discussion of Alberta separatism will hurt Alberta economically.”

Another volunteer, **Carol Watt**, who collected signatures at **Ranchland Mall** in Pincher Creek, expressed her satisfaction with the petition’s verification. She described the experience as an opportunity to engage with a diverse range of Albertans, noting that even conversations with skeptics often required patience and understanding.

Watt personally collected **214** signatures and estimated that the Pincher Creek area contributed around **1,700** signatures in total. She acknowledged the support from local businesses, as the campaign was able to operate indoors, making the signature collection process smoother.

Looking ahead, Watt stated that volunteers are eager to see how the premier will respond to the initiative. “It’s nice. It was ratified anyway,” she said, underscoring the importance of the petition’s success in reflecting the sentiments of Albertans regarding their future within Canada.