Alberta referendum: What Strathmore and Wheatland County residents need to know

Posted on: Jody Production

By Melissa Crispin-Piche Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Albertans will head to the polls on Oct. 19 to answer 10 referendum questions covering immigration, provincial powers and Alberta’s future in Canada. Here is what local residents need to know before casting their ballots.

Residents of Strathmore and Wheatland County will have an opportunity to weigh in on several significant issues facing the province when Alberta holds its referendum.

With 10 questions on the ballot and changes to how and where people can vote, Elections Alberta is encouraging residents to familiarize themselves with the process before heading to the polls.

The referendum is non-binding. That means the results will provide the provincial government with an indication of voters’ views, but will not automatically change provincial laws or Canada’s constitution. Some proposals would require negotiations with the federal government and other provinces before they could take effect.

The referendum includes five questions about immigration and eligibility for provincial services, four about proposed constitutional changes and one about Alberta’s future in Canada.

Here are the 10 questions you will be asked:

1. Immigration: Do you support the Government of Alberta taking increased control over immigration for the purposes of decreasing immigration to more sustainable levels, prioritizing economic migration and giving Albertans first priority on new employment opportunities?

2. Provincial services: Do you support the Government of Alberta introducing a law mandating that only Canadian citizens, permanent residents and individuals with an Alberta¬ approved immigration status will be eligible for provincially-funded programs, such as health care, education and other social services?

3. Residency requirements: Assuming that all Canadian citizens and permanent residents continue to qualify for social support programs as they do now, do you support the Government of Alberta introducing a law requiring all individuals with a non-permanent legal immigration status to reside in Alberta for at least 12 months before qualifying for any provincially-funded social support programs?

4. Health care and education: Assuming that all Canadian citizens and permanent residents continue to qualify for public health care and education as they do now, do you support the Government of Alberta charging a reasonable fee or premium to individuals with a non-permanent immigration status living in Alberta for their and their family’s use of the healthcare and education systems?

5. Proof of citizenship: Do you support the Government of Alberta introducing a law requiring individuals to provide proof of citizenship, such as a passport, birth certificate or citizenship card, to vote in an Alberta provincial election?

6. Judicial appointments: Do you support the Government of Alberta working with the governments of other willing provinces to amend the Canadian Constitution to have provincial governments, and not the federal government, select the justices appointed to provincial King’s Bench and Appeal courts?

7. The Senate: Do you support the Government of Alberta working with the governments of other willing provinces to amend the Canadian Constitution to abolish the unelected federal Senate?

8. Federal programs: Do you support the Government of Alberta working with the governments of other willing provinces to amend the Canadian Constitution to allow provinces to opt out of federal programs that intrude on provincial jurisdiction such as health care, education, and social services, without a province losing any of the associated federal funding for use in its social programs?

9. Provincial authority: Do you support the Government of Alberta working with the governments of other willing provinces to amend the Canadian Constitution to better protect provincial rights from federal interference by giving a province’s laws dealing with provincial or shared areas of constitutional jurisdiction priority over federal laws when the province’s laws and federal laws conflict?

10. Should Alberta remain a province of Canada, or should the Government of Alberta commence the legal process required under the Canadian Constitution to hold a binding provincial referendum on whether or not Alberta should separate from Canada?

Option 1: Alberta should remain a province of Canada.

Option 2: The Government of Alberta should commence the legal process required under the Canadian Constitution to hold a binding provincial referendum on whether or not Alberta should separate from Canada.

Each question will appear on a separate ballot. Elections Alberta says voters will receive the question about Alberta’s future in Canada first followed by the remaining nine questions.

Elections Alberta began mailing Where to Vote cards to registered voters in late September.

The cards provide information about advance voting locations and each voter’s assigned polling station for Oct. 19. Residents who requested electronic delivery when registering may receive their information by email instead.

Anyone who has recently moved should check that their voter registration contains their current address.

Those who do not receive a card can still vote. They can confirm their registration and find their polling station online or contact Elections Alberta directly.

Advance voting will take place Oct. 13 to 17 from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Referendum Day is Monday, Oct. 19 with polls open from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Residents can also find their voting location by entering their home address at map.elections.ab.ca.

Eligible voters must be Canadian citizens who are at least 18 years old on Election Day and ordinarily reside in Alberta.

Voters must provide identification confirming their name and current physical address. An Alberta driver’s licence showing both can meet this requirement. Those without suitable government-issued photo identification can use two accepted pieces of identification. Both must show their name and at least one must show their current address.

For residents who have questions about voting locations, registration or identification, Elections Alberta can be reached at 1-877-422-8683 or through their website (elections.ab.ca).