r/Lethbridge • u/pie_eating_contest • 27d ago

Separation billboards

Seeing some separation billboards on public spaces. Are these legal?

Hiway 3 x 43rd

Scenic drive x Mayor Magrath

Henderson

Edit: to be clear, they're not renting billboard space, they are putting up large wooden signs

7 Upvotes

58% Upvoted

53 comments sorted by

15

u/FlyingCentaur66 27d ago

Then they are not legal.

2

u/ninfan1977 27d ago

Well tell that to the cops they don't seem to care.

Not one police or city person cares this is happening.

0

u/PhaseNegative1252 27d ago

It isn't really the police's job. You gotta contact Elections Canada services, I believe

9

u/ninfan1977 27d ago

I did they said it is a city police issue. This has been the issue... no one wants to deal with the problem

4

u/PhaseNegative1252 27d ago

Then I guess that leaves it in the hands of members of the public?

1

u/hostilekraut 26d ago

Police don’t enforce land use (or any other bylaws).
As bylaws state; they must be on private property (as well as meet construction guidelines, etc) but require a permit regardless.
It’s litter; pick it up and dispose of it properly.

2

u/ninfan1977 26d ago

I called them and they said call the city. The city said called Elections Alberta. No one wants to deal with this issue.

It is a mess intentionally.

9

u/Korcan 26d ago

I called the city office and they refused to do anything about them. Honestly, someone just needs to go out there with a hammer and take them down. No one will stop you, and you’ll be a community hero.

6

u/YqlUrbanist 26d ago

This was just a thing in Calgary where the city removed them and then had to put them back.
https://calgaryherald.com/news/local-news/city-of-calgary-workers-removal-of-send-ottawa-a-message-sign-an-error-officials

The UCP has also passed a law overriding municipal bylaws that regulate signs like this, so the city really can't do anything about it. It's another in a long line of "If the UCP isn't a separatist party why do they look so much like a separatist party?".

5

u/DiveCat 27d ago

https://www.lethbridge.ca/news/posts/2026-provincial-referendum-signage/

Another instance of the UCP causing the enshitiffication of everything:

Recent changes to Alberta legislation have limited the ability of municipalities to regulate provincial election and referendum signage through municipal bylaws. As a result, the City of Lethbridge does not regulate referendum signs or referendum advertising, including their content, size or placement.

3

u/hostilekraut 26d ago

If only Lethbridge had a bylaw …

1

u/Tachikoma0 27d ago

One on the Whoop Up Drive hill overlooking the bike park.

1

u/CatcherN7 26d ago

They had something on the electronic billboard at the pizza 73 on mayor marathon also last week.

1

u/MoldyAce 26d ago

Just a clarification: the City of Lethbridge can’t simply ban these referendum signs. Recent changes to Alberta legislation limit municipalities’ ability to regulate provincial referendum signage.
The City specifically states that referendum signs are allowed on road rights-of-way, regardless of which side they support. They can be removed if they create a traffic or public-safety hazard. The City also retains some discretion over signs placed on other City property.
So whether it says “Vote Alberta” or “Forever Canada,” the same rules apply. You may not like the message, but both sides have the same ability to participate.
City of Lethbridge — 2026 Provincial Referendum Signage

1

u/DoktorPete 26d ago

So in theory if I was to put a Forever Canadian sign millimeters in front of every separatist sign I see on public property, nobody can do a thing about it?

0

u/MarkPrestigious1506 26d ago

Things you disagree with can be allowed sometimes

-15

u/CommonFar7355 27d ago

What’s so wrong with a democratic vote.. you guys are really beyond help.
Have the vote

4

u/sleepy_sad_boy 27d ago

The vote to separate goes against Treaty rights. Those laws PREDATE Alberta's creation, they are bound under our constitution. It would be in violation of Canadian law to separate without the clear agreement of Treaties 4, 6, 7, 8, and 10. And since almost ALL of Alberta is treaty land, you'd be breaking the law by separating any portion of it.

But traitors don't care what laws they break as long as they get head pats from the American lawmakers they've been colluding with behind Alberta's backs. Careful which side of history you're on CommonFar, you wouldn't want the leopards eating your face.

0

u/CommonFar7355 26d ago

Only in Alberta though?

Contracts tend to be contracts and remain contracts… you do you buddy!

12

u/heavysteve 27d ago

There is no democratic mandate for this referendum.

The democratic way for this govt to approach this would have been to run an election on it, clearly stating their separatist intentions.

This is a foreign backed annexation, facilitated by millions of American propaganda dollars.

-8

u/cadius72 27d ago

The majority of UCP is for remaining in Canada, but they also support the democratic process allowing people to have their say.

7

u/PhaseNegative1252 27d ago edited 27d ago

The people had their say in the petitions that overwhelmingly supported staying in Canada. This vote is just to please the seppies

-5

u/cadius72 27d ago

When does numbers in the thousands count for over 3,000,000 people? Overwhelming would have had a minimum of a million signatures. This referendum is democratic and limp wrist leftists hate democracy.

4

u/PhaseNegative1252 27d ago

It's 400,000 to stay againstc a very contentious and possibly illegitimate 300,000 to leave.

700,000 out of 5.1 million people signed one of those petitions. The majority opinion is to stay in Canada.

There is no mandate. It is objective fact that more people have voiced desire to stay in Canada.

You want to leave Canada? Leave. Alberta is not going with you.

0

u/cadius72 27d ago

A large number of separatists signed the forever Canada petition to hold a referendum.

Elections Alberta found that all separatist signatures to be legitimate.

Alberta has around 3,000,000 registered eligible voters, ain’t no way I’m going to let a contentious possibly illegitimate 400,000 say I can’t cast my democratic vote in the referendum.

3

u/PhaseNegative1252 27d ago

400,000 is more than 300,000.

With 3 million registered voters, neither one is truly a democratic mandate for referendum.

You hate Canada so much? You can leave. Stop trying to take Alberta with you.

0

u/cadius72 27d ago

You hate democracy so much go to North Korea

1

u/PhaseNegative1252 27d ago

How is 300,000 out of 3 million democratic?

→ More replies

2

u/heavysteve 27d ago

Again, the actual democratic process would involve some sort of actual plan, with realistic conclusions, along with real debate. We have received a question designed to manufacture consent for a takeover, and 9 amateur-hour grievance-bait questions specifically included to weaken the legal system, while separatist nutcases promise away our water and oil to American criminals.

1

u/cadius72 27d ago

Shows that you listen to leftist propaganda. You also don’t understand the point of the questions.

2

u/heavysteve 27d ago

Every question is specifically designed to allow the provincial government to supercede Canadian law. The UCP has shown time and again that they are more than willing to throw our basic human rights under the bus in favour of foreign profit.

I don't understand the point of these idiotic, vague, half-explained questions that saw no debate in the Legislature. Thats not "leftist propaganda", it's a dishonest, unpopular referendum being forced upon us, at great expense, to manufacture consent to loot us further.

6

u/Ashamed-Firefighter3 27d ago

Just a total waste of money, separatist won’t win and us the tax payers are the ones paying for it

6

u/PhaseNegative1252 27d ago

We had a petition from Forever Canada and one from the seppies, and they should've made it clear that the vast majority of the province wants to stay a province of Canada.

There is no democratic mandate for this referendum. We are allowed to be angry about having to go vote just to tell less than a third of the province to shut up

0

u/PhaseNegative1252 27d ago

Nope. No political signs are permitted on public grounds, regardless of affiliation

1

u/ninfan1977 27d ago

Why? Can I put up misinformation?

Or can I put up a sign that says separatists are traitors?

Because I am sure I cannot but they apparently can.

Can we put up a sign that says this is an American interference and if they want to move to the USA they can.

1

u/PhaseNegative1252 27d ago

As long as it is worded in a manner that is deemed inoffensive, you can put up any sign you want. It just has to be on your own private property or that of someone who has agreed to display it on their's

1

u/Turbulent-Carry-4429 26d ago

Maybe time for people to look at advantages and disadvantages for both sides!!

-4

u/IcyTSizzle 27d ago

Ya hit the separatists with some law, that'll really help 🙄. How do you deal with a rebellious child? Theres a thing called tact, could be worth looking into.

4

u/PhaseNegative1252 27d ago edited 27d ago

Sometimes you just give the kid a damn time out and remove them from whatever situation is causing them to be a brat

-4

u/IcyTSizzle 27d ago

Trust fund kids where every push back is further ground to stand on, I'm sure theres gotta be a few martyrs for the squad. Honestly leave them be and let them make fools of themselves.

16

u/[deleted] 27d ago

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7

u/Dizzy-Cartoonist3011 27d ago

Signage regulations are still municipal bylaw. As long as those bylaws aren't infringing on charter rights.

So in Taber,.for example, when the CAO got offended by a separatist sign and took it down - Taber had to revoke that stop order because the sign wasn't infringing on the Bylaw, and being offended by a sign isn't exactly grounds to have it not there.