With little more than a week until the Alberta referendum, campaigners on both sides of the separation question have turned an eye toward the nine other ballot proposals around immigration, voter ID and constitutional issues – but they are doing it for different reasons.
asserted
they → turn → reasons
Some federalist leaders, claiming early victory on the question around independence, have shifted their energy to persuading Albertans to vote against the nine proposals and have pitched their campaign as a proxy war against Premier Danielle Smith.
asserted
leaders → claim → Smith
On the flipside, some separatist camps are suggesting voters boycott the nine questions, arguing their participation would be capitulating to federalism.
asserted
participation → suggest → federalism
The nine questions propose new fees for non-permanent residents accessing health care and education, limiting non-permanent residents’ access to other social supports and working to reopen the Canadian Constitution with the aim of wresting more power from Ottawa.
asserted
questions → propose → Ottawa
“We are very likely to reject the premise that we should be a separate country, but the other nine questions remain very much in play,” said Stephen Carter, a political strategist who has organized a campaign around the slogan, “Stay in Canada, no to the nine.”
asserted
who → reject → nine
On Friday, the separatist Alberta Prosperity Project posted to social media: “IGNORE THE 9, VOTE OPTION 2,” referring to the choice on the 10th question for a binding independence referendum.
asserted
Project → post → referendum
Alberta’s referendum campaign has been subsumed by the ballot question asking voters whether they wish to remain in Canada or begin working toward a second, binding secession referendum.
asserted
they → subsume → referendum
Support for separation has held steady during the campaign, floating between 20 per cent and 25 per cent.
asserted
Support → hold → cent
The nine other questions, meanwhile, have received less scrutiny and face greater odds of winning public support.
asserted
questions → receive → support
The provincial government has offered little detail how it would enact the proposals if approved by voters.
asserted
it → offer → voters
Ms. Smith says the nine questions will give her a mandate and is focused on successfully having them pass.
asserted
them → say → mandate
The government has dedicated a $4-million advertising budget to the campaign – nearly seven times what third-party advertisers are legally allowed to receive or spend during the referendum period.
asserted
advertisers → dedicate → period
Ms. Smith has characterized the proposals as a tool for leverage over Ottawa, the same argument some separatist camps have made in their pitch for voters to endorse a binding secession referendum.
asserted
voters → characterize → referendum
Mr. Carter, the political strategist, said he’s pivoting away from the separation question to campaign exclusively on the nine others for the final week.
asserted
he → say → week
Unlike the separation question, there are still swaths of undecided voters on the remaining questions, he said.
asserted
he → be → questions
His campaign is attempting to frame a rejection of the questions as a rebuke of Ms. Smith’s leadership.
asserted
campaign → attempt → leadership
“It’s up to us to make sure that people understand that they can oppose these questions and oppose Danielle Smith at the same time,” he said.
asserted
he → ’ → time
Ms. Smith has said she will vote for Alberta to remain in Canada and her government has vigorously campaigned on the nine other questions, with brochures and advertising deployed across the province.
asserted
government → say → province
Asked on Thursday how she and her United Conservative Party will be working to get out the federalist vote, she said: “Well, I want people to vote for our nine questions.”
asserted
people → ask → questions
“We want to seek a mandate on that, and if people want to change the relationship with Ottawa, that’s the best way to do it.”
asserted
that → want → it
Ms. Smith has said the proposals would help boost Alberta’s autonomy within Canada.
asserted
proposals → say → Canada
Mitch Sylvestre, chief executive of the Alberta Prosperity Project, said in an interview that he’s “disgusted” by the nine questions, though he may vote for the proposals he believes are “pertinent.”
uncertain
he → say → proposals
“I haven’t really taken a chance to inform myself on anything but the one directly related to us,” Mr. Sylvestre said.
asserted
Sylvestre → take → us
Not all movement leaders agree, however.
asserted
leaders → agree → ?
Keith Wilson, a lawyer and co-founder of separatist group Let Alberta Decide, called the nine proposals a “political gimmick” but said refusing to vote for them would be foolish.
asserted
refusing → let → them
“I still think they send a message,” Mr. Wilson told The Globe.
asserted
Wilson → think → Globe
Despite bubbling interest in the nine questions, they appear likely to continue to take a back seat to the question of national unity.
asserted
they → bubble → unity
Thomas Lukaszuk, leader of Forever Canadian, said he has planned rallies with “very interesting speakers” next Thursday and Friday in Calgary and Edmonton, and he’s planning a get-out-the-vote drive that will encourage his list of 1.5 million electors.
asserted
that → say → electors
“Our campaign has always been about remaining in Canada, so that’s our primary focus,” he said.
asserted
he → remain → Canada
The Alberta NDP will be hosting rallies on Tuesday and Wednesday, and it has bought advertising slots that will air during Edmonton Oilers and Calgary Flames games.
asserted
that → host → games
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre said on Friday that he’ll be campaigning in Alberta next week “to keep our country united.”
Ms. Smith’s office said she will be in southern Alberta next week, and will be urging Albertans to vote with new campaign literature.
asserted
she → say → literature
Let Alberta Decide’s Mr. Wilson, meanwhile, is organizing a pro-independence rally next Saturday at the Alberta legislature, and Mr. Sylvestre is planning to activate the roughly 250,000 people in the Prosperity Project’s database ahead of referendum day.
asserted
Sylvestre → let → day
He said he’s unsure if he’ll attend Mr. Wilson’s rally.
asserted
he → say → rally
The Aporia
