Rebel News was in Fort Saskatchewan, Alberta, where organizers hosted a town hall and petition signing aimed at triggering a referendum on Alberta independence and locals turned out in force.

Under Alberta law, citizens can force a referendum by collecting 177,000 valid signatures within 120 days. Just three weeks in, organizers have already held dozens of town halls and signing events across the province.

This one hit close to home. 

Fort Saskatchewan is an agricultural, oilfield, and refining community — three sectors battered by more than a decade of federal Liberal policies. Residents didn’t mince words about why they showed up.

“I started working under Pierre Trudeau before the NEP,” said one signer. “I’ve seen nothing but destruction for this province since equalization was entrenched. It’s only gotten worse.”

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Others compared Canada’s treatment of Alberta to a bad marriage. “I’m tired of giving my money away. Alberta makes the money, and Ottawa takes it,” one woman said.

Despite media claims that independence supporters are “fringe,” the crowd was anything but. Families, seniors, and young people filled the hall. Lines stretched past 50 people at a time, in temperatures below -20 C.

About 350 people packed the town hall to hear speakers Mitch Sylvestre and Dr. Dennis Modry explain the petition process and the case for independence.

Organizers say turnouts like this are happening across the province.

Rebel News will continue covering petition events in both small towns and major cities to give a voice to Albertans the mainstream media ignores, or worse, willfully misrepresents.