Coal mining debate will not be on October’s referendum ballot: Alberta Premier

October’s provincial referendum will not include a question on whether or not to approve coal mining on the eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains. 

That fact was confirmed yesterday by Premier Danielle Smith, when asked about a recently-handed in petition headlined Water Not Coal. 

As she understands it, all ballot questions would have had to have been handed by June 1st, but there’s also other complexities.

“There’s some implications on private property rights that we would have to consider because we have legislation that requires in the event that property rights are taken away,” the Premier said.