Referendum drive for Alberta leaving Canada draws hundreds in Stony Plain

Hundreds gathered in Stony Plain to sign a petition seeking a referendum on Alberta leaving Canada; organizers have until May to collect 178,000 names for validation by the province's chief electoral officer.

Hundreds of people gathered in Stony Plain, west of Edmonton, to sign a petition seeking a referendum on Alberta leaving Canada. The event was one of many organized by a group called Stay Free Alberta and was sanctioned by the province's chief electoral officer. Organizers have held signature drives across the province for about three weeks and reported long lines at multiple sites. Key facts: - Hundreds signed in Stony Plain to press for a referendum on Alberta leaving Canada. - The campaign is organized by Stay Free Alberta and has conducted events across the province for several weeks. - Organizers must collect 178,000 names by May, with at least 10 percent required to be eligible voters from the last provincial election. - The province's Chief Electoral Officer must validate the signatures before the petition can be presented to the Alberta government. Summary: Organizers are continuing a provincewide signature drive aimed at meeting the 178,000-name threshold by May; after that the Chief Electoral Officer will validate the submissions before any petition is presented to the Alberta government.