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”.

  • GrindingGears@lemmy.ca
    3·
    6 days ago

    Exactly that though: Do you agree that the Province of Alberta shall become a sovereign country and cease to be a province in Canada?. If you answer yes to that, obviously we should cease to be a province and become a sovereign country. If you answer no to that, you will not be agreeing that the province of Canada shall become a sovereign country, and ceasing to be a province in Canada.

    Sounds pretty straight forward, right? I’m sure something like 80% of the vote will be no. Except then they’ll try and mount a legal challenge to twist that around on us. Because you’ve answered no to the sovereign country part, but the second part where ceasing to be a province in Canada is a bit more ubiquitous. You could be saying no I do not want to be a sovereign country, but you are not clearly stating yes or no to being a province in Canada. It’s implied, sure (with the and), but implied in such a question opens this up to court challenges (and I’m sure a bunch of foreign interference). You could be saying no I do not agree that the province of Alberta shall become a sovereign country and I think it should cease to be a province in Canada. Or in other words, hello USA! That’ll be the argument. Yes its ridiculous, but it could be a valid fear.

    Whereas, Do you agree that Alberta Should remain in Canada? Well that’s a yay or a nay.