It’s my understanding that a referendum petition is about the phrasing of the question that’s presented to go on the referendum ballot.

The pro-Canada group “won” the right to petition for their question to go on the ballot as they submitted before the anti-Canada traitors could. Basically, stay in Canada vs leave Canada.

Am I just an idiot, or is the safest thing for AB to do is not sign regardless of who is asking? If this petition gets enough sigs all it means is that this will be the question asked on the ballot for referendum instead of the leave question right? But if it fails, there won’t be a referendum at all.

Please correct me if I’m wrong, but it seems to me this is being proposed as a petition to stay in Canada, but it’s really a petition to trigger a referendum with “stay in Canada” as the question instead of “leave Canada”.

  • pixxelkick@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    2
    ·
    7 days ago

    But if it fails

    Thatd be an extremely foolish thing to hedge your bets on, it very well could get enough signatures.

    • Jack_Burton@lemmy.caOP
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      1
      arrow-down
      1
      ·
      7 days ago

      What I’m saying is Albertans shouldn’t sign so it does fail, right? Even though it’s a positive way to frame the question, the petition is really “sign this if you want a referendum” isn’t it?

      • leastaction@lemmy.ca
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        1
        ·
        5 days ago

        You have no control over what other people will do. You only have control over your own actions. Please sign.

      • pixxelkick@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        2
        ·
        7 days ago

        You seem hell bent on trying to frame this as “yeah but its totally gonna fail”

        Thats a dumb assumption to make, it’s very much possible the “bad” referendum succeeds, so hedging your bets on it failing is just a dumb idea.

        the petition is really “sign this if you want a referendum” isn’t it?

        No, its “Sign this to at least make the referendum thats pretty likely to happen at least not have such a poorly framed question”

        I would assume it’s going to happen, it’s wishful thinking to assume it wont.

        • Jack_Burton@lemmy.caOP
          link
          fedilink
          arrow-up
          1
          arrow-down
          1
          ·
          7 days ago

          No, see I’m afraid it’s going to pass. Two similar questions aren’t allowed to be approved for petition, the “stay” group put theirs through first so since only one can be petitioned, it’s theirs.

          It’s now framed as a positive statement rather than a negative one, but the fundamental point I’m asking about is this: regardless of who is petitioning, or what the question is, signing it is saying “yes” to putting separation on the referendum ballot. So, it’s better to not sign (even though it LOOKS like the patriotic thing to do is sign) because by not signing, there won’t be a referendum at all, right?

          Because the petition isn’t about staying or leaving, it’s about putting separation on the ballot for referendum, regardless of how it’s phrased.

          • pixxelkick@lemmy.world
            link
            fedilink
            arrow-up
            1
            ·
            7 days ago

            because by not signing, there won’t be a referendum at all, right?

            Only a fool would hope for this.