An Edmonton city councillor says he wants to ingrain the love Albertans have for Canada in a red-and-white street sign.
Michael Janz says he will be submitting an application to rename the portion of 99th Avenue that’s adjacent to the Alberta legislature in downtown Edmonton to Forever Canadian Avenue.
“This is a high tourist destination,” Janz said about the east-to-west thoroughfare in a phone interview after his Sunday announcement.
“This is the place where school groups and other groups come by to visit, and where they can hear and learn about the Forever Canadian (petition) and how many patriotic Canadians and Albertans supported this movement.”
“Forever Canadian” is the name of a pro-federalist petition which had just over 400,000 signatures verified by election officials in December.
Janz said many of his constituents signed the petition and volunteered to help collect signatures for it.
The province’s lawmakers have yet to decide whether the petition’s proposed question, “Do you agree that Alberta should remain within Canada?” will be put on a ballot in a fall referendum or to a vote in the legislature.
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Janz’s Sunday announcement comes days after a judge’s decision to throw out a separatist group’s petition calling for a referendum.
The judge said the Stay Free Alberta group’s petition shouldn’t have been issued under a provincial law that Premier Danielle Smith’s government made changes to, aiding the separatist effort.
The judge also said Smith’s government neglected its duty to consult First Nations.
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Smith has said she supports a sovereign Alberta in a united Canada but also that Albertans are frustrated with Ottawa and deserve to be heard.
Stay Free Alberta and Smith have said they will be appealing the judge’s decision.
Janz said the separatist issue in Alberta hasn’t just affected the national and provincial political climate.
“The spectre of separatism is an enormous risk to investment in our province, jobs in our community,” he said.
“It’s creating uncertainty. You can’t build a robust economy, a prosperous Edmonton, with this looming spectre of separation.”
Janz said he will submit his application for the street renaming to Edmonton’s Naming Committee soon.
He hopes to celebrate Canada Day in July on a street called Forever Canadian Avenue.
“It’s not about one government or one premier but it’s about a moment when Albertans came together and said over 400,000 of us are willing to sign that we want to remain in Canada,” he said.
“That’s a beautiful thing.”
— With files from Jack Farrell
And Janz the Commie can have that sign proudly stapled to his forehead.
I wonder if Janz cares about his constituents who signed the Stay Free petition? Or just the ones who align with his political views?
The city needs to stay in its lane! Federal politics is not anything I want the city getting involved in.
Janz is an idiot in activist clothing.
Doesn’t the city have better things to spend money on like potholes instead of wasting money on renaming streets.
How much does this cost taxpayers when we can’t afford things now.?
“The spectre of separatism is an enormous risk to investment in our province, jobs in our community,” he said.
I agree, everyone is waiting for Alberta to separate, when they do there will be a massive influx of investment because of the low tax, low regulations, low red tape business environment that an Alberta free of Canada would be in the world.
Cool. Does Edmonton have one for Terry Fox? He was the exact opposite of DaniQ. He gave everything he had for cancer research. Smith cuts and cuts so peeps will say public sucks.
A bit short sighted.
Media never fails to find the one dummy in the crowd draped in the American flag.
Alberta independence isn’t about being part of the US.
Phuck Trump and all his sychophants and apologists!
This will pass.
Not enough redneck loser gas guzzlers in Edmonton to stop it.
My EV runs virtually for free.
Yikes: Are you nuts? Every judge in Canada could see Smith is just playing games. She has no clue in law so she wants to appoint her own courts.
Imagine being on the side of an activist judge stripping millions of our right to vote. And thinking you are the good guys 😬. Edmonton city council is so out if step with Edmontonians and Alberta.
The city is crumbling. Broke. Slashong programs all over the place to make up for the financial mismanagement. City hall is surrounded by indigenous crackhead camps. PRIORITIES… go out and spread divisive messaging rather than doing his job. Embarrassing.
Janz the commie.
I just read some comments from these “separatist” fools; they’re all from other provinces and all they whine about is who got to Alberta first and how awful people from other provinces are. They’ll fit right in in Idaho, the only place they can go, because Alberta’s land belongs to the Natives.
Yo, @try this…. Want to know we’re “Sovereign Nation” comes from? Check out Quebec’s history in Canada. They have been sucking up tax dollars for generations using that term.
As to the rest of what you wrote, I agree with you.
Hey, maybe Edmonton could name street “Don’t need no stinking democracy”. Lol
Has the govt checked with the natives and the immigrants? We wouldn’t want to offend them. On the other hand, great to have a new name that most of us can pronounce.
I guess if thats makes you feel better somehow. And then due to number of signatures on the separation petition what do we name the street beside it? Get out of Canada Avenue? For myself, sticking with present designations is prudent.
i street named after no democracy allowed .with help for cher’s daughter chaz, nice kick in the teeth for true Albertans
Smith is confused. How can one be a sovereign nation, within Canada.
Yes, the federal government has got to get off their climate agenda, and start supporting Canada.
An elected senate, free from party politics would do that. Provincial representation is what is missing.
The judge erred. PET broke our laws by entrenching native consultation without consulting Canadians. That needs to be corrected. – Carney is doing his best to enforce it, and give undeserved rights to the natives.
We have the right to vote to stay in Canada.