Alberta Premier Danielle Smith’s administration is set to propose significant amendments to the laws governing citizen-led petitions. These changes mark the third attempt within a year to modify the existing framework.
Election Blackout for Citizen-Driven Referendum Questions
Justice Minister Mickey Amery introduced a bill that would establish a two-year blackout period for petitions regarding constitutional or policy referendums. This period would prevent the initiation of such petitions one year before and one year after a provincial election. Current petitions in progress would remain unaffected.
Amery stated, “We want voters to be able to weigh in on election matters during elections without having citizen-led initiatives stand in the way of that.” He emphasized the government’s goal to streamline the process for Albertans seeking to propose referendum questions.
Recent Changes to Petition Rules
- Last year, the government eliminated a signature threshold for initiating referendum petitions.
- Increased the signature collection period by one month.
- Cleared legal hurdles for separatist referendum proposals.
- Raised the application fee for petitions from $5,000 to $25,000.
Currently, a petition seeking a referendum on Alberta’s potential separation from Canada must gather nearly 178,000 signatures by May 2. Conversely, a successful petition aimed at ensuring Alberta does not leave Canada was completed under the former rules.
Other Citizen-Led Initiatives
Since last June, several citizen-led petitions have emerged:
- A proposal against public funding for private schools failed in February.
- A petition to ban new coal mining on the eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains has until June 10 to collect necessary signatures.
Transparency Measures in Public Sector
The new legislation also aims to enhance transparency regarding public sector salaries. The proposed changes include:
- Lowering the threshold for the Sunshine List to include employees earning $130,000 instead of $133,819.
- Annual disclosure of public sector severance payouts instead of biannual reports.
Amery described these revisions as a means to reduce bureaucratic red tape, making it easier for public agencies to comply with reporting requirements.
Combatting Misleading Media
Another aspect of the proposed legislation aims to address misinformation in electoral contexts. It would penalize the production of misleading digitally created media, known as deepfakes, with fines up to $10,000 for individuals and $100,000 for organizations.
Amery stressed the importance of maintaining fair elections and outlined supportive measures in progress under Technology and Innovation Minister Nate Glubish to further address digital misinformation.
