Edmonton city councillor Michael Janz and former deputy premier Thomas Lukaszuk have teamed up to propose renaming a small section of 99 Avenue, between 107 and 109 Street, to 'Forever Canadian Avenue.' The move is intended to celebrate Canadian unity and counter separatist movements in Alberta.
A Symbol of Unity
Janz presented a street sign to Lukaszuk on Sunday, May 17, 2026, recognizing his work with the Forever Canadian movement, which gathered over 400,000 signatures in favor of keeping Canada together. 'It's non-political, it's non-partisan. Being Canadian shouldn't offend anybody. I think it's an apropos name of an avenue in front of a legislature,' Janz said.
The street fragment is located near the Alberta legislature, a symbolic location for the pro-confederation message. The application for the name change comes amid ongoing debates about Alberta separatism, including a proposed referendum on whether the province should secede from Canada.
Political Context
Lukaszuk criticized Premier Danielle Smith for what he sees as her alignment with separatist elements within her party. 'I think the premier has painted herself into such a corner where she should realize that sometimes it's okay to say I tried, and there will be no referendum,' he said. He noted that courts have ruled against separatist petitions, and a stolen list of electors has been identified.
Lukaszuk urged Smith to abandon the referendum idea and instead hold a vote in the legislature. 'How many more off-ramps do you need? I'm giving her an off-ramp to have a vote in the Legislature instead, but she just seems not to want to take any opportunity to get off this course of having a referendum, and it's so divisive for this province,' he added.
Appeal Controversy
Lukaszuk also questioned the province's decision to appeal a court ruling that quashed a separatist petition, arguing that taxpayer funds should not be used to support such efforts. 'The province, for some reason, hired lawyers with taxpayers' money and took the side of separatists and intervened. Why is the government of Alberta appealing on behalf of this?' he asked.
He emphasized the importance of independent courts in democratic societies, stating, 'The reason we have independent courts in all Western democratic countries is to keep governments in check and make sure that when governments pass laws, they're constitutional.'
Premier's Stance
During her radio program on Saturday, Smith called the court ruling 'anti-democratic' and indicated she would appeal. She did not rule out holding a referendum with or without a successful appeal, promising to provide more details in the coming week.
Lukaszuk expressed skepticism about Smith's intentions, predicting she would announce a referendum question on separatism. 'It's so multi-layered, but I have a feeling that this week the premier will announce a question on separatism because she's beholden to separatists, and even though the question will be constitutional and will have zero meaning and will not be enforceable, she will still give a question to them,' he said.
Forever Canadian Movement
The Forever Canadian movement, led by Lukaszuk, has gained significant traction, collecting 456,000 signatures in three months. The group is also planning to establish a physical headquarters. The proposed street name change is seen as a lasting symbol of the movement's commitment to Canadian unity.
Lukaszuk's message to those considering a separatist stance is clear: Canada is stronger together, and divisive referendums only harm the province.
