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CALGARY — Forever Canadian is changing its role in Alberta’s referendum campaign, moving from a broader Canadian unity effort to directly urging voters to choose the option for Alberta to remain in Canada.
The organization, led by former Alberta deputy premier Thomas Lukaszuk, says it will now explicitly campaign for Option 1 on Question 10 of the Oct. 19 referendum.
The change means Forever Canadian will operate as a referendum third-party advertiser and become subject to Elections Alberta’s financial reporting requirements.
Forever Canadian will now be required to file weekly contribution reports disclosing money raised for referendum advertising. Registered third-party advertisers can spend up to $607,000 on referendum advertising.
The organization had previously promoted Canadian unity without formally advocating for a particular response to the referendum question.
Lukaszuk says Elections Alberta had determined the group did not need to report its finances under referendum advertising rules because its earlier campaign did not directly advocate for a specific choice on the ballot.
With the organization now explicitly telling supporters how to vote, Lukaszuk says Forever Canadian will begin filing its financial information and direct more of its campaign toward voter turnout and explaining how supporters of Alberta remaining in Canada should answer Question 10.
The timing of the change has drawn criticism from some supporters of Alberta independence.
Alberta Prosperity Project co-founder Jeffrey Rath argues Forever Canadian had effectively been campaigning on the referendum before formally taking a position on the ballot question.
Mount Royal University political scientist Duane Bratt has also questioned the earlier exemption, arguing the distinction between promoting Canadian unity and campaigning against separation was too narrow.
Lukaszuk maintains the organization followed Elections Alberta’s rules and is becoming subject to the additional reporting requirements now because it has chosen to directly advocate for one of the options on the ballot.
Elections Alberta says referendum advertising must relate to a specific referendum question and attempt to persuade a voter to cast a ballot in a particular way. Income, donations and expenses connected to referendum advertising must be reported.
Alberta’s referendum will be held Oct. 19.
Question 10 asks whether Alberta should remain a province of Canada or whether the Alberta government should begin the legal process required under the Constitution to hold a binding provincial referendum on separation.
Voters who want Alberta to remain a province of Canada select Option 1. Option 2 calls for the Alberta government to begin the legal process required to hold a binding referendum on whether Alberta should separate from Canada.
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