Naheed Nenshi breaks down upcoming Alberta referendum questions

Anais Loeppky, Web Editor

For Albertans opening their referendum ballots this fall, the quantity and length of questions may come as a surprise.

The Oct. 19 provincial referendum will ask voters to answer 10 questions covering immigration, voting requirements, constitutional changes, and Alberta’s relationship with Canada.

Questions 1 through 9 are yes-or-no questions, while question 10 offers voters two options. 

The questions are strategically written in complex language, making it important for Albertans to research them ahead of time so they know exactly what they are voting for.

Nenshi breaks down what’s on the ballot

Naheed Nenshi, leader of Alberta’s NDP and the province’s official opposition, spoke with The Reflector about the questions to help give students a more solid understanding.

“I think the critical thing for voters to remember is the motivation behind them,” Nenshi said.

He shared that during his time door-knocking this summer, he found that nearly 30 per cent of people he spoke to were unaware of the upcoming referendum. 

Furthermore, many Albertans did not know there were 9 questions in addition to the separation question.

He also highlighted that this referendum alone will cost Albertans nearly $200 million and ultimately asks whether we should have another referendum.

“Think of what you could do with 200 million dollars. You could build a whole bunch of schools, you could hire a whole bunch of teachers, you could fund programs at MRU,” he added.

With such polarising questions being posed, it is essential that Albertans take the time to vote.

So, what exactly is on the ballot?

Questions 1 to 5: Immigration and voting

The first five questions focus largely on immigration policy and provincial programs.

Question 1 asks whether Alberta should take increased control over immigration, with the goal of reducing immigration to what the question describes as more “sustainable” levels, prioritising corporate staffing needs over families and refugees, while stating local workers will get first pick of employment.

Question 2 asks whether Alberta should introduce a law limiting eligibility for provincially funded programs, including health care, education, and other social services, to Canadian citizens, permanent residents, and people with Alberta-approved immigration status.

Question 3 asks whether people with non-permanent legal immigration status must live in Alberta for at least 12 months before becoming eligible for provincially funded social support programs.

Question 4 asks whether people with non-permanent immigration status should be charged a fee or premium for their own and their families’ use of Alberta’s health-care and education systems.

The government says these questions are intended to give Alberta greater control over immigration and relieve some of the current pressure on public services.

Nenshi points out the potentially detrimental effects of the direction these proposals are taking, particularly regarding their possible impact on people with temporary immigration status.

“This is particularly important for international students,” he said, pointing to questions involving access to public health care and education.

For students at Mount Royal University, those questions could be particularly relevant because they address provincial services and people living in Alberta without permanent immigration status.

Question 5 asks whether Alberta should require people to provide proof of citizenship, such as a passport, birth certificate, or citizenship card, to vote in provincial elections.

Some Albertans are concerned that this would create barriers for senior citizens, students, and people with lower incomes who may not have access to these documents. 

Questions 6 to 9: constitution changes

The next four questions move away from immigration and focus on the relationship between Alberta and the other provinces.

Question 6 asks whether Alberta should work with other willing provinces to make it so that provincial governments, rather than the federal government, select judges appointed to Alberta’s King’s Bench and Court of Appeal.

Question 7 asks whether Alberta should work with other provinces to amend the Constitution to abolish the unelected federal Senate.

Question 8 asks whether provinces should be able to opt out of federal programs in areas such as health care, education and social services without losing the federal funding associated with those programs.

Many Albertans are concerned that this could be a first step in the privatisation of these services.

Question 9 asks whether provincial laws should have priority over federal laws when the two conflict in areas of provincial or shared constitutional jurisdiction.

The important distinction is that these questions do not themselves change the Constitution.

They essentially ask Albertans whether they support the Alberta government pursuing these issues. Any actual amendment would require the federal government and potentially other provinces to participate in the constitutional process.

Nenshi characterised questions six through nine as constitutional questions that would not be straightforward for Alberta to implement on its own.

Question 10: Stay in Canada or start a separation process?

Question 10 has undeniably received the most attention.

Unlike the other questions, it is not a yes-or-no question. Instead, Albertans will choose between two options:

Option 1: Alberta should remain a province of Canada.

Option 2: The Alberta government should begin the legal process required under the Canadian Constitution to hold a future binding provincial referendum on whether Alberta should separate from Canada.

An important distinction here is that a vote for option two would not separate Alberta from Canada. It would support beginning the legal process toward a future referendum on separation.

Elections Alberta also states that the result of question 10 is non-binding.

For many Albertans, including Nenshi, the question represents more than a step in the process.

“There are what I call head arguments, and there are heart arguments,” he said, pointing to both economic concerns and the emotional significance of Alberta’s relationship with Canada.

“So many Albertans are just really worried right now,” he said, adding that the mental strain of the possibility of losing the country as Albertans is really hard.

“The head arguments are critical, but the heart arguments also really matter.”

Nenshi emphasises the importance of taking the time to vote. Democracy is not a guarantee. The rules that govern our schools, courts, and voting booths are on the ballot right now. If you want a say in where Alberta is headed, showing up to vote is where it starts.

“Most Albertans are just proud Canadians, and we want to continue to be proud Canadians.”