Thomas Lukaszuk, Alberta’s former deputy premier, is the mover and shaker behind the campaign to keep Alberta in Canada.

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He is determined to see those in favour of Alberta independence lose an October vote on whether or not the province splits from Canada.

“This time the separatist movement in Alberta is for real. There’s a real threat of separatism. Take separatism seriously. If we don’t, there may not be a next time,” says Lukaszuk.

“The stars have lined up for the separatists like never before.”

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Lukaszuk says many of the separatists formed groups online during COVID that “led to convoys and border blockages and other things.”

Then there is Premier Danielle Smith.

Lukaszuk has known many premiers before Smith.

“Every one of them by now would have stepped up and said: Look, there’s a lot of B.S. with Ottawa. We need to fix this and that but separatism is not an option.

“She leads separatists to think she is on their side and she leads federalists to believe she is on their side too. No clear answer.”

Lukaszuk laughs when Smith speaks of a sovereign Alberta within a united Canada.

“That’s like me saying I’m single within the confines of my marriage. Premier, please pick a side. Say you are 100 per cent against separatism.”

Is Lukaszuk confident Smith will side with Team Canada and tell Albertans she is voting for Canada and encouraging others to do the same?

“No, I’m not,” he says.

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“I’m imploring she does it now. The premier is the leader of the province. She has to take a position on the future of this province. Do you want this province to stay in Canada or not?”

Then there was the defeat of Pierre Poilievre and the Conservatives when everybody thought they would win the election, ride to the rescue and fix what ails Canada.

“That was hard to swallow,” says Lukaszuk, of the Conservative loss to the Liberals.

The separatists have organization. Lukaszuk believes Smith is soft on separatism. A lot of people are angry over the Liberals winning yet again.

“You put this all together and it creates a movement,” he says.

“Now you have this perfect storm.”

The man is in Calgary and spoke to the Canadian Club. It is a largely older crowd. A safe bet would be the vast majority are supporters of Prime Minister Mark Carney.

It appears Canada has treated them well.

Lukaszuk knows there are still more than a few souls who don’t take the Alberta independence cause seriously.

He figures it might be because Alberta cried wolf in the past. Big hat, no cattle.

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“The number of separatists are such that if we don’t take them seriously and we don’t mobilize the same thing can happen as in the U.K. with Brexit.”

In that case, says Lukaszuk, many in the U.K. just wanted to send a message. The actual Brexit vote was about the United Kingdom leaving the European Union.

“Those wanting to send a message woke up the next morning, shocked they had tipped the scales.”

The pro-Canada campaign leader makes it plain he wants to convince soft-core separatists and skeptical Canadians, unhappy with how Canada is governed, to support remaining in the country.

Lukaszuk says reaching out to them is crucial for a Team Canada win.

“You’re being heard. I am not laughing at you. I am not ignoring you. I am not discounting your position. I am not saying you’re wrong. If that’s how you feel then it’s real,” he says.

He says some grievances are “very factual” and will need to be dealt with by the prime minister and the premier because “I actually want you to be in position where you will proudly vote for Canada.”

“I want these soft-core separatists, these skeptical Canadians to know voting for separation is like tearing down a house because one pipe is leaking.

“It’s an overkill and it will cause more problems than you identify right now.

“Let’s take those problems and bring them to the attention of our prime minister and our premier and make sure they address those issues but, in the meantime, don’t tear the house.”

Will that be enough for the skeptical Canadians? Will that be sufficient for those truly fed up with Alberta’s treatment within Canada?

This is going to be one hell of a fight.

© Calgary Herald