Calgary mayor welcomes putting the question to voters, would campaign ‘strongly’ to stay

I cover city hall for CBC Calgary. When asked about the upcoming referendum today, Calgary Mayor Jeromy Farkas told reporters the Alberta government crossed a line when it announced it plans to appeal the court decision that quashed the Stay Free Alberta petition’s approval.

“You cross a red line when you actively sue to undermine treaty rights that we’ve respected in this province for 150 years,” he said.

Farkas welcomes putting the question to voters and will be “campaigning strongly” in favour of Alberta remaining within Canada, he said. Although, he added that the prospect of a separation question on the ballot in October is scaring investment away from Calgary, Alberta’s largest city.

“There’s many people sitting on the sidelines right now who are waiting for this question to be resolved,” he said.

The mayor urged for a “very clear and well-defined question.”

“It would be even more damaging for Albertans to go to the polls and be asked a question that was otherwise ambiguous, not clear. We need to settle this once and for all and move on from this,” Farkas said.