March 16, 2021 –
Today, United Conservative Leader Jason Kenney announced the Citizen Initiative Act, new legislation that would give Albertans the power to trigger an issue for consideration or a referendum for Alberta’s government.
It’s another promise made, promise kept.
After Justin Trudeau was re-elected in the Fall of 2019, Kenney promised Albertans more democratic tools to make their voices heard.
Our government will introduce a citizens initiative referendum act, giving ordinary citizens the power to force a referendum vote on issues important to the people of Alberta. pic.twitter.com/y4jjmaRody
— Jason Kenney (@jkenney) February 26, 2020
This new law was informed by other citizen initiative laws from many states and U.S. countries, as well as a similar law in the province of British Columbia.
Here’s how the rules would work under the proposed legislation.
An Albertan first needs to apply to the chief electoral officer to begin a petition initiative and have 90 days to gather signatures.
On any legislative or policy initiatives, petitioners would need signatures from 10 per cent of voters provincewide
On constitutional initiatives, petitioners would need signatures from 20 per per cent of voters from across Alberta, and would need to have that level of support in two-thirds of Alberta’s constituencies.
“This is one of the most important and powerful democratic reforms in our history,” Kenney said. “It follows the introduction of the Recall Act, and more important democratic reforms are yet to come. Another promise made and another promise kept.”
The Recall Act was introduced earlier this week.
We want to know what you think. Do you back our new Citizen Initiative Act? Fill out our voter survey here.
