The Alberta government is updating rules for citizen petitions, referendums, and voting procedures, saying it wants to improve democratic processes.
The proposed changes would reduce the number of signatures needed for citizen-initiated petitions, extend the time to collect them, and update how elections are conducted in Alberta, according to an April 29 news release.
Premier Danielle Smith said the reforms—announced a day after the federal Liberals secured a fourth consecutive term—are not connected to the election outcome.
Discussion of Alberta’s secession and a possible separation referendum gained attention during the federal election campaign, when a poll indicated that roughly one-quarter of Albertans favoured the idea, with support for a referendum slightly increasing in all provinces if the Liberals were re-elected….