Jeffrey Rath, leader of the Alberta Prosperity Project, says the separatists now have enough signatures to force a referendum on independence for Oct. 19.

He claims that petition signatures “crush” the 177,732 required for a referendum on Alberta leaving Canada.

Rath winds up fast, and he doesn’t spare Premier Danielle Smith.

“At some point, Danielle’s going to realize that this referendum is going to win, and that continuing to parrot her little federalist slogans makes her look like a drunk lighting cigars with $100 bills,” he said in an interview.

Talk that the signature hurdle has been cleared went around separatist circles on the weekend. The deadline for signature collection is May 2.

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Rath says leaders put out the word to counter “misinformation” about support for their question on leaving Canada.

“My understanding is that the current count could be as high as 200,000 and we’ve got 29 boxes on the way, which conservatively have at least 43,000 signatures.

“We’ve absolutely crushed the statutory requirements, with many, many more signatures on the way.

“A........

© Calgary Herald