Political strategist partners with Alberta Liberal Party to launch campaign opposing province’s referendum questions

You could soon see ads telling you to "just vote no" on upcoming referendum questions, paid for by the Alberta Liberal Party. CTV News Edmonton's Jeremy Thompso

Albertans may soon see ads asking them to ‘Just Vote No’ on referendum questions, due to be asked later this year by the provincial government, paid for by the Alberta Liberal Party.

The idea for such an advertising campaign comes from political strategist Stephen Carter, who reached out to the party that has continued to operate even though it hasn’t held a seat in the Alberta Legislature in almost seven years.

Carter, who has led several political campaigns over the years – including Naheed Nenshi’s ‘purple wave’ victory to become Calgary’s mayor in 2010, Alison Redford’s successful bid for the Alberta Progressive Conservative leadership and Premier’s chair in 2011, and the Better Edmonton municipal party slate headed last year by Tim Cartmell – says he wants to organize Albertans who oppose the changes suggested in nine referendum questions being put to a vote this fall.

The United Conservative Party government’s referendum questions touch on immigration, opting out of federal programs and more.

A question on Alberta separation could also be added.

Carter said Tuesday that partnering with the Alberta Liberals will maximize the possible fundraising and advertising spending for his campaign as rules around them for political parties are more permissive than for third-party advertisers.

“A political party can issue tax receipts; a TPA (third-party advertiser) cannot issue tax receipts,” Carter told CTV News Edmonton on Tuesday.

“If we’re going to be effective and battle the UCP on their turf using their rules, then we need to look at those rules and see where there are weaknesses that we can exploit.”

Under the provincial rules, third-party advertisers are limited to spending $607,000 for a campaign during a referendum period that started on April 1, Carter said, calling the spending limit “a tiny, tiny little chunk of change” when it comes to trying to reach the five-million residents of the province.

“We can’t put a brochure in your mailbox for 12 cents,” he said. “In Alberta, we can’t put ads on your Google machine for 12 cents. In Alberta, we can’t go to your Facebook page and have you see a Facebook ad. The truth of the matter is, for $607,000, we are constrained to the point of being ineffective.”

Carter said the campaign’s objective is to “gather as much money as possible and spend as much money as possible.”

“This is something that we can do that will make fundraising easier and like communications easier,” Carter said. “It gives us a broader reach, and we’re going to take advantage of that.”

The Opposition Alberta NDP, now led by Nenshi, launched its own initiative last week to counter the referendum questions called For Alberta, For Canada.

For the Alberta Liberals, partnering with Carter’s Decide Campaigns goes along with their penchant for cooperation, said John Roggeveen, the outgoing leader of the party.

“Anybody that wants to work with us, we’re more than happy to talk to so that we can deal with this referendum and make sure that it doesn’t succeed,” Roggeveen told CTV News Edmonton.

“Our government currently seems to coddle the separatists and the secessionists, and I don’t believe that the vast majority of Albertans are in favour of that.”

With files from CTV News Edmonton’s Jeremy Thompson