Forever Canada petition in Rocky Mountain House

West Country residents who’d like to sign an anti-separation petition can do so in Rocky Mountain House.

The Medical Equipment Lending (MEL) Society, Rocky Legion and Rocky Spray Park will serve as signing locations for the Forever Canada petition until Oct. 23.

Former deputy premier Thomas Lukaszuk, once a long-time MLA with the Progressive Conservatives, and former cabinet minister (2010-2014) filed his petition at the end of June.

The petition aims to make it official policy for Alberta to stay in the country.

It serves as a pushback against separatist sentiment in the province that once again bubbled to the surface after the federal Liberals’ election win in late April.

“Forever Canada is not seeking a referendum, because we believe there needs not to be [one]. We believe, by far, Albertans don’t want to separate from Canada. We’re not arguing the status quo is perfect, but that there are ways to resolve it, and the threat of separation should not be one,” Lukaszuk told rdnewsNOW and The Everything Red Deer Podcast in August.

Since launching the petition campaign, Lukaszuk says he’s met Albertans who often have differing political views, but, for the most part, they’re proud Canadians.

Thomas Lukaszuk speaking about the Albertans he’s met on the road.

According to an update at the beginning of October, Lukaszuk says his group, now with some 5,000 canvassers collecting names, has gathered 230,000 signatures.

That’s some 64,000 shy of the roughly 294,000 needed before the end of October.

Lukaszuk’s goal is to surpass 300,000 signatures in order to cushion against some being disqualified because of a missing phone number or incorrect email.

He adds, Alberta has long had differences with Ottawa, regardless of who’s in office.

Thomas Lukaszuk says even the PCs had differences with the Conservative federal government during his tenure in office.

Premier Danielle Smith has said she wants to see a sovereign Alberta within a united Canada and has declined to endorse Lukaszuk’s campaign.

The petition will be available for signatures at the MEL Society (Bay 2, 4907 – 44 St., Rocky Mtn. House) Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. until Oct. 23.

Lukaszuk himself will be in Rocky Mountain House near the Rocky Spray Park (4733 54 Ave) Oct. 9 as part of his Unity Bus tour.

Signing will also take place from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., and the Rocky Legion (4911 – 49 St) Oct. 9-10 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

The deadline to collect signatures for the petition is Oct. 28. You can see all the signing locations here.

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~ with files from the Canadian Press