Door-knocking begins for Alberta NDP campaign to keep province in Canada

Alberta NDP is taking its anti-separation campaign door-to-door, 'For Alberta, For Canada.'

Alberta’s Official Opposition took its anti-separation campaign door-to-door in parts of the province on Saturday.

The “For Alberta, For Canada” campaign aims to mobilize Albertans to get involved and take action against separatist sentiments.

Stay Free Alberta, the group leading a campaign to trigger a referendum question on whether the province should separate from Canada, is collecting signatures until May 2 before submitting to Elections Alberta for approval.

An Edmonton judge ruled to pause the verification of those signatures, however, until she could rule on a constitutionality case brought forth by several First Nations groups. A decision is expected in the coming weeks.

In the meantime, Alberta NDP leader Naheed Nenshi says his campaign, which was launched at the beginning of April, is meant to provide a non-partisan day of action for those “worried” about the future of the province.

Deputy leader Rakhi Pancholi was at the Edmonton campaign on a gusty and snow-flurried Saturday.

“It’s really about having conversations with your neighbours, to talk about our love for this province, for this country, and to let people know and let (Premier Danielle Smith) know that we do not support separatism,” she said.

“There’s nothing more Canadian than scheduling a door-knocking blitz in April, hoping for nice weather and getting a snowstorm instead.”

Volunteers are hitting neighbourhoods in Calgary, Red Deer, Medicine Hat, Lethbridge and Grande Prairie.

“The premier’s made it clear that there’s going to be a referendum on Oct. 19. We imagine at some point there’s going to be one with the separatist question … We want to make sure we’re talking to our neighbours right away, talking to Albertans, and making sure that our voices are heard.”

Albertans are set to vote on a number of constitutional and immigration-related questions on Oct. 19.

Thomas Lukaszuk’s “Forever Canadian” petition, which gathered more than 450,000 signatures in support of the province staying part of Canada, is in limbo pending a bipartisan legislative committee’s review.