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Braid: Fury erupts at separatist hunt for referendum signatures in the U.S.

In both provinces with active separatist movements, being in favour or even neutral is politically dangerous. For our separatists, maybe it’s just easier to collect signatures in the U.S.

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A striking ad is flying around social media. It invites people to sign up for the Alberta independence referendum.

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And that’s legitimate, according to Elections Alberta.

“Nothing in the legislation prohibits signature collection outside of Alberta,” the agency says in a statement.

That will surprise many Albertans. Thomas Lukaszuk says all signatures for his Forever Canada petition were obtained within Alberta — “100 per cent.”

Informed of the Yuma pitch, ardent Canadian nationalist and former premier Jason Kenney hit the launch pad running.

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“Some rich Canadians who spend half the year sunning themselves in Arizona are going to take a break from their regular golf-and-happy-hour routine to drop by and sign a petition, in a foreign land, to tear apart the country built by their ancestors.

“This raises all sorts of questions about foreign interference, and divided loyalty.

“If Canadians living in the U.S. really want to tear Canada apart, maybe they should just stay there and take their chances with ICE.”

Down in Yuma, population 105,000, people are invited to come to a place called Martha’s Gardens this Saturday to “sign the independence petition.”

The event is news to the friendly folks at Martha’s Gardens.

Nothing is booked for Saturday, the fellow there says on the phone, “and you have to reserve a long time in advance.”

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Of course, they might just set up a table near the venue, like the one I saw last weekend near the Calgary Farmers’ Market South.

Why wouldn’t our separatists take the referendum campaign to the States, when they’re talking to U.S. government officials?

I called Jeffrey Rath, top megaphone with the separatist Alberta Prosperity Project.

“I don’t know anything about that,” he says, referring to the Yuma oddity, “and I don’t know who that is.

“But as long as you’re signing up an Alberta resident, it doesn’t matter if you’re in Timbuktu.

“I do know that Albertans have been signed up in Ottawa,” he adds.

Rath says it’s all legit if a canvasser approved by Elections Alberta connects with a willing Alberta resident.

And he’s right. Geography has nothing to do with the rules.

“Only Canadian citizens who are over 18 and ordinarily reside in Alberta can sign. All signatures will be verified when the petition is returned back to us to make sure they meet these requirements,” says Elections Alberta.

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Signing must be overseen by an official canvasser with the Elections Alberta ID and lanyard around their neck.

Where it happens doesn’t matter.

But as Lukaszuk said, “this still feels wrong, this should be entirely an Alberta thing.

“What it tells me is they’re desperate for signatures. We never had to do that.”

While this latest blow-up plays out, here’s a question for the separatists: What Canadian leader has the best approval rating in both Alberta and Quebec for handling of the separatism issue?

It’s Prime Minister Mark Carney.

He has a net positive rating of plus 7 in Alberta, and plus 3 in Quebec, according to new polling by the Angus Reid Institute.

This polling shows that any provincial leader who gives a remotely positive vibe on separatism is in the tank.

Premier Danielle Smith’s rating on separatism is minus 17 among Albertans.

Only the Alberta separatist leaders themselves are lower.

The readings in Quebec are almost comical.

Bloc Quebecois Leader Yves-Francois Blanchet: minus 13.

Parti Quebecois Leader Paul St-Pierre Plamondon (a hard-nosed separatist who promises a referendum): minus 17.

Premier Francois Legault: minus 18.

The whole Quebec political establishment loses on this issue.

Right at the bottom comes Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, at minus 27.

In both provinces with active separatist movements, being in favour or even neutral is politically dangerous.

For our separatists, maybe it’s just easier to collect signatures in the U.S.

Don Braid’s column appears regularly in the Herald

X and Bluesky: @DonBraid

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