Unifor says it's mobilizing members to campaign in Alberta's upcoming independence referendum. The union has published calls for its education workers to get involved in the campaign against Alberta independence, encouraging political organizing ahead of the vote. 

But here's the obvious question: If Unifor is acting as a third-party campaign organization, where is its registration?

As of today, Unifor does not appear on Elections Alberta's public list of registered referendum Third Party Advertisers (TPAs). That public registry exists specifically so Albertans know who is spending money to influence referendum campaigns and so organizations are subject to Alberta's advertising, reporting and disclosure rules. 

That doesn't automatically mean Unifor has broken the law.

Go Ad Free

Under Alberta's rules, registration is generally required before an organization incurs regulated referendum advertising expenses above the legal threshold. Activities that don't meet the definition of regulated advertising, or that fall below the threshold, may not require registration. Whether Unifor has crossed that line depends on what it is actually spending money on, not simply the fact that it is encouraging members to become involved.

Still, the discrepancy raises legitimate questions. If Unifor is running an organized campaign, producing advertising, paying staff or purchasing promotional materials to influence the referendum, Albertans deserve to know whether those activities require registration and, if so, whether the union has complied.

Transparency shouldn't depend on which side of the referendum you're on. The same rules should apply to unions, corporations, advocacy groups and independence organizations alike. If you're campaigning in Alberta's referendum, the public has a right to know who's paying the bills and whether the campaign is following the law.