Attempt to halt separation petition underway while government readies to expedite referendum

By ZOE MASON on April 8, 2026.

zmason@medicinehatnews.com

Another legal challenge has been launched against the proposed separation referendum by an Alberta First Nation while the Forever Canadian policy proposal continues to stall in the house.

The Sturgeon Lake Cree Nation appeared before the Court of King’s Bench in Edmonton on Tuesday to seek an injunction against the separation referendum petition drive.

It is the second time the separation drive has been challenged in Alberta courts. In December, the Court of King’s Bench ruled that Alberta independence would violate the Treaties.

In his ruling, Justice Colin Feasby said First Nations “cannot be ignored or bypassed as Alberta contemplates its future whether that is as part of Canada or not.”

Last week, Stay Free Alberta announced that the petition drive has surpassed the 178,000-signature threshold required for the referendum question to proceed.

The Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation released a statement Monday condemning separatist leaders for celebrating the milestone while Indigenous nations are actively seeking court intervention.

“It is incredibly concerning to see separatist leaders celebrating signature thresholds while First Nations are in court defending our rights,” said Chief Allan Adam.

“They are saying that again, they will not respect the court’s ruling. That tells you exactly where their priorities are, and it is not with respecting Treaty rights.”

Province drags feet on Forever Canadian

The latest court challenge comes as the NDP has accused the UCP government of stalling on next steps for the Forever Canadian petition.

That petition garnered over 450,000 signatures last year. Proponent Thomas Lukaszuk asked for the question to be referred to legislature and asked that MLAs vote on the question, “Do you agree that Canada should remain in Canada?” as a policy proposal.

“This government has changed the law twice and overruled a court decision in record time to support a separatist referendum, but when half a million Albertans sign a pro-Canada petition, they won’t even bring it forward for discussion,” reads a Mar. 23 statement from the NDP.

Legislation requires the committee table a report with its recommendations within 90 days of a successful petition.

That report can either recommend the introduction of a bill at the earliest practicable opportunity or direct the Chief Electoral Officer to hold an initiative vote.

Although the Forever Canadian petition certification was tabled Dec. 3, a committee to review the petition was not established until Mar. 10.

The first meeting of the committee is scheduled for Apr. 21. There are only 10 sitting days remaining in the session after that.

If a recommendation isn’t made, the next opportunity won’t come until after the results of a separatist referendum question should that question proceed this fall.

Lukaszuk wrote a letter to the committee chair, Leduc-Beaumont MLA Brandon Lunty, requesting that the committee take action to conclude its business expeditiously.

“By delaying the committee’s work, the voices of almost half a million Albertans who have signed the petition stand to be ignored,” he wrote.

He also requested an appearance before the committee in his letter.

Lukaszuk has stated publicly that the aim of his question is to have it tabled to MLAs in the legislature to vote on as a policy proposal rather than have it proceed as a referendum question.

Premier Danielle Smith told reporters last week that there is a lack of clarity regarding what actions would need to be taken based on the outcome of the question. Smith says it is unclear what would happen if the result of the question was that MLAs voted ‘no’ to his question.

“I think we have to hear from Mr. Lukaszuk about whether he wants his question on the ballot,” she said.

“I think maybe his opinion changes if the other referenda questions are also able to get the number of signatures. That might be a factor the committee has to consider as well, so I guess we just have to let the process play out.”

Smith says it is her intention to put any petition that has the requisite number of signatures validated on the referendum ballot this fall.

“The reason Mr. Lukaszuk’s is different is because there’s been some confusion about whether or not he wants that.”

The committee will be tasked with determining whether the question proceeds to a referendum.

Lukaszuk told The Canadian Press last week that Smith can put his question on a referendum if she wants. He said his Forever Canadian group is preparing for a referendum should it be called.

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