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Over 300,000 Albertans signed a petition calling for an Alberta independence referendum — and many more might have, said Stay Free Alberta CEO Mitch Sylvestre, if they hadn’t feared government repercussions. 

“Some were concerned that having their names recorded could expose them to government penalties or financial consequences, such as frozen bank accounts,” said Sylvestre. 

Unfortunately, this is not an unfounded concern, as demonstrated by the unlawful and unconstitutional freezing of bank accounts targeting supporters of the Freedom Convoy in 2022. 

“Regardless of one’s position, hesitation to engage in lawful democratic process raises serious concerns about confidence in civic freedoms,” Sylvestre continued. 

On Tuesday’s episode of The Ezra Levant Show, Ezra was joined by constitutional lawyer Keith Wilson to discuss Monday’s petition drop-off and the future of the Alberta independence movement. 

Wilson echoed Sylvestre’s assessment of hesitancy among some would-be signatories, citing his own experience and describing how many people he spoke to feared becoming victims of the same government overreach that affected many of his clients during the Freedom Convoy. 

“They would then immediately follow that up with shame and sadness,” he said. “Shame that they felt afraid and that it was influencing their decision-making… and sadness that Canada is so lost and has changed so much that you have to fear your government.” 

Despite four judges total — including decisions from both the Federal Court and the Federal Court of Appeal — finding that the federal government’s seizure and freezing of citizens’ bank accounts was illegal and unconstitutional, the Liberal government has appealed the decision once again to the Supreme Court, insisting its actions were lawful. 

Furthermore, when questioned by Ezra Levant in Davos, Switzerland, earlier this year, former prime minister Justin Trudeau and former deputy prime minister Chrystia Freeland both stood by their government’s actions. 

“That is a very good reason for people to be afraid,” said Ezra. “It is not an irrational fear to think there will be punishments coming from Mark Carney.”