Before the Legislature reconvenes, Alberta's Conservative MLAs will vote on the Citizens' Initiative Act in caucus. This private member's Bill would give Alberta taxpayers the right to initiate and vote in a referendum on a provincial issue of their choice.

An Environics poll of over 1,000 Albertans commissioned by the Canadian Taxpayers Federation in September revealed that 79% of Albertans want direct democracy legislation, with only 15% opposed and 6% undecided. Yet Alberta's Conservative MLAs rejected citizen-initiated referendums in 1994, 1996, and 1998.

Citizens in Switzerland, British Columbia, many U.S. states - as well as Alberta voters at the municipal level - already enjoy the right to by-pass politicians and force a referendum on an issue of concern. Since the 1800s, the Swiss have voted on their constitution, immigration policy, international treaties, tax rates, and other issues.

In Massachusetts legislators passed a "temporary" income tax increase in 1989 to deal with a fiscal crisis. Once the crisis passed, the state income tax was not rolled back to its previous rate. Years of phone calls and letter-writing, plus several election cycles, did not succeed in getting politicians to honour their promise. Finally, fed-up taxpayers collected the required number of signatures and put a proposal on the ballot to reduce income tax back down to where it was before the "temporary" increase. In November of 2000, citizens voted on this specific issue, as well as voting for their state and federal representatives. After a hard-fought campaign featuring heated debate on the pros and cons of a cut in taxes and spending in this liberal Democratic state, 59% voted for the initiative.

Increased accountability and more voter choice are the greatest benefits of citizens' initiative. When citizens lack the right to initiate a referendum on an issue of concern, politicians have a blank cheque to do whatever they want, up to five years at a time. In theory, voters can have their specific concerns addressed during an election. But that's not reality.

Albertans cannot use their ballots to implement - or to reject - any specific policy for which the provincial government is responsible - health, education, social services, justice, tax levels, spending levels, etc. Total control remains with the politicians up to five years at a time. On voting day there is only one big question: which leader/party should be Premier/Government?

When legislators in Massachusetts ignored their constituents and refused to honour a promise, voters had the option of forcing a referendum on the issue. Albertans lack that option, so there is less accountability and less choice for voters.

Opponents of participatory democracy warn of anarchy and chaos, as if "ill-informed masses" will run the province's day-to-day affairs. But the Citizens' Initiative Act merely enables Albertans to put a provincial issue to a province-wide referendum by gathering 100,000 signatures. The referendum is held in conjunction with a provincial election or province-wide municipal elections. If Albertans support the proposal it is introduced in the Legislature as a private member's bill, to be accepted, rejected or amended by MLAs. This legislation is modest, moderate, and practical.

On three occasions MLAs have disregarded what 79% of Albertans want. They may do so again, if Albertans don't phone their MLAs and tell them to vote for the Citizens' Initiative Act inside their party caucus. More accountability and choice are worth a phone call. Albertans are smart enough to elect their MLAs, and smart enough to initiate and vote in referendums. But it's up to Albertans to call their MLAs, and soon.