Alberta is experiencing an unusual situation where citizens’ enthusiastic compliance with new laws is reportedly frustrating the provincial government. The situation stems from legislation passed in 2021 and subsequent actions taken by both citizens and government officials.

Citizen Initiative Act Invoked

The Citizen Initiative Act, passed in June 2021, allows Albertans to propose policy changes, legislative changes, or referendums through petitions. The act requires a certain number of signatures within a specified timeframe.

• Policy/Legislative Proposals: 10% of voters
• Referendums: 20% of voters

Thomas Lukaszuk, a former deputy premier, launched the “Forever Canadian” campaign, proposing a referendum on Alberta remaining in Canada.

Referendum Petition Exceeds Expectations

Lukaszuk’s campaign gathered significant momentum. Volunteers collected signatures at public locations throughout the summer.

The petition garnered 404,293 verified signatures, exceeding the required threshold with 13.6% of eligible voters signing. This has potentially paved the way for a referendum on Alberta’s place in Canada.

Separatist Referendum Faces Legal Challenge

The Alberta Prosperity Project also submitted an application for a citizen initiative regarding Alberta’s independence. However, the chief electoral officer referred the question to the Court of King’s Bench to determine its constitutionality.

School Library Book Ban Backlash

In the summer of 2025, Education Minister Demetrios Nicolaides issued a ministerial order establishing new standards for school library materials. The order mandated the removal of books with “explicit sexual content.”

Edmonton Public School Board staff compiled a list of over 200 books meeting the criteria, including classics like The Handmaid’s Tale and Brave New World.

Premier Smith criticized the board’s list as “vicious compliance,” later clarified as likely meaning “malicious compliance.” The government subsequently revised the rules to specify that the ban applied only to visual depictions of explicit sexual content, not written passages.

“vicious compliance”

Why This Matters

This situation highlights the potential for unintended consequences when laws are implemented and interpreted. The Alberta government’s frustration stems from citizens utilizing the Citizen Initiative Act and ministerial orders in ways that were not originally anticipated. This could lead to further revisions of existing legislation and increased scrutiny of future policy initiatives.