NDP Launches Campaign Against Alberta Secession

0:00It's April 9th. This is Calgary News today, powered by AI. I'm Cory with the story. Alberta's opposition new Democrats just kicked off a campaign called for Alberta, for Canada, pushing back hard against the growing separatist push. Leader Nahid Nenshi announced it in Calgary, saying they've got just over six months until the likely October 19th Independence referendum. They're not waiting around like folks did before Brexit. They're jumping in now to rally federalists. The drive aims to sign up volunteers for province-wide action days, starting April 25th. No party membership needed, and it's run through the NDP because parties get more leeway under campaign rules than outside groups. This is separate from Thomas Lucas Ux, forever Canadian effort, which grabbed over 456,000 signatures last fall. Nenshi's calling out the United Conservative Party for stacking the deck, like tweaking citizen initiative laws to drop Constitution checks and rushing ahead on referendum rules.

1:02Premier Danielle Smith insists she wants a stronger Alberta inside Canada, citing her pipeline deal memo with Ottawa as proof things can improve, without splitting. Meanwhile, separatist backers say their petition to leave Canada has blown past the 177,732. Signature mark, eyeing that May 2nd deadline for the ballot. This nation's groups, like Sturgeon Lake Cree and Athabasca Chippewian, are hitting the courts, arguing the new laws violate treaties by risking borders through their lands. With legal fights brewing and campaigns heating up, Alberta's unity debate is far from settled.