US EditionAlberta Bill Aims to Clear Further Obstacles to Citizen-Driven Referendum Questions
New bill grants Justice Minister authority over referendum questions and removes court delays, allowing free reapplication and limiting ballot protests, officials said.
- Thursday, Justice Minister Mickey Amery said Bill 14 would shift oversight of citizen-initiated referendums from the chief electoral officer to the minister and give Amery referral power to courts.
- Justice Minister Mickey Amery said the changes aim to let all Albertans put any question to voters and prevent one group from 'piggybacking' while avoiding court delays by shifting decisions from the chief electoral officer.
- The legislation amends the Citizen Initiative Act by removing constitutional limits, quashing unissued petitions, allowing applicants to resubmit within 30 days without fees, restricting party names, and shifting Law Society appeals to the Court of King's Bench from a 24-member Bencher board.
- If passed, the bill would discontinue the court proceeding on the pro-separatist question and allow proponents to reapply at no cost, while not affecting a duelling petition certified earlier this week as a Court of King’s Bench decision is due in the coming weeks.
- The bill would clear the way for a separation referendum and also block two former UCP MLAs from using the Progressive Conservative name, creating a permissive referendum environment while restricting confusing party names.
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Separatists declare Bill 14 a “massive win” for independence drive
Source: Wikimedia CommonsAuthor: Isaac LamoureuxAlberta independence leaders say the province’s new Justice Statutes Amendment Act marks a major turning point for the independence movement, calling the overhaul of initiative rules a long-sought victory that clears the way for an eventual referendum on separation.The Alberta Prosperity Project said the legislation removes barriers that previously allowed Elections Alberta to block or delay citize…
Alberta legislation would change citizen referendum rules, restrict political party names
Bill 14, introduced Thursday by Justice Minister Mickey Amery, transfers powers from the chief electoral officer to the minister when deciding whether citizen petition initiatives should proceed. It also includes an amendment to discontinue any court proceeding brought by the chief electoral officer.
CP Judge calls Alberta bill on referendum drives undemocratic
EDMONTON — An Alberta judge says a bill introduced this week by Premier Danielle Smith’s government is undemocratic. Court of King’s Bench Justice Colin Feasby made the comment in a decision issued today in Calgary. Feasby has been hearing arguments on whether a referendum drive looking to ask if Alberta should separate from Canada is legally OK, given it may contravene the Constitution. He was asked to review the proposal by Alberta’s chief ele…
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