Alberta's Referendum set for October 19th will shape the provincial direction on immigration, the constitution, and our relationship to the rest of the country.

The Referendum questions would have us believe the main issues in Albertans' lives are immigrants and Ottawa. The Greater Edmonton Alliance is running a listening campaign aimed at understanding the deeper issues in our lives and building relationships to act for equity, dignity, and the common good of all. To that end, we are hosting "civic academies" across the Greater Edmonton Area.

Civic academies are town hall-style events aimed at developing civic education on an issue (in this case, the Referendum), build relationships, and listen for stories of pressures in peoples' lives while encouraging public action.

Join us for an interactive, participatory program designed to build our collective power, encourage dialogue, and create direction for our Alliance.

What to Expect:

This academy is an opportunity to learn together, hear real stories, and build momentum for meaningful community change. We will:

• Build relationships across organizations and immigration status: In small group settings, answering the question "Share a story of how you or your family came to Edmonton, Alberta, or Canada? What supports did you receive?" We'll share stories from newcomers, immigrants who've been here for generations, or from Indigenous participants who have lived here for time immemorial.
• Listen to personal stories: Hear testimonies from community members directly impacted by the rhetoric and outcomes of the questions on the October 19 Referendum
• Move from private pain to public action: The October 19 Referendum inaccurately represent the issues in our lives. In small group settings, we'll go beyond the Referendum questions and ask "What are the pressures on you and your loved ones? Where do you have the energy to act?"

Help us welcome Erin Lang and Dr. Julie Ballangarry, who visit us from Australia with lessons and stories from the country's 2023 Referendum. Together, they are participating in a Churchill Fellowship to examine how reconciliation is pursued by marginalised peoples despite political barriers.

In the wake of Australia’s failed Voice to Parliament referendum, reconciliation is at a crossroads. Lang and Ballangarry's project investigates how Indigenous and other structurally marginalized peoples respond to political resistance or avoidance of reconciliation and how governments frame reconciliation narratives to promote unity, often without addressing systemic injustice. Case studies in Canada, Aotearoa-New Zealand, South Africa, and Northern Ireland will explore how communities reclaim reconciliation as a process grounded in truth, justice, and genuine accountability.

All are welcome. RSVP today to help create real change in the Greater Edmonton Area.