By Lisa Johnson The former politician who gathered more than 456,000 signatures to keep Alberta in Canada says he watched first-hand Tuesday as the legislature committee tasked with a review continued to strangle the democratic process. Thomas Lukaszuk, a former deputy premier, said he’s not surprised, but it’s “bizarre” the committee, led by governing United Conservative Party members, shut down a proposal to soon hear from him directly. “It shows pure cynicism and disregard for this democratic process,” he said. Lukaszuk said Premier Danielle Smith’s UCP is playing a “cynical, political game” by delaying its work to give a separatist petition, currently gathering signatures, a leg up on putting their question on an October ballot. “For lack of a better term, the process is a sham,” Lukaszuk told reporters after…
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