The argument of Thomas Lukaszuk, a former Progressive Conservative legislator from Alberta, is that separation “would be, from a political, economic and social perspective, a terrible process that we would have to go through.”

Lukaszuk’s group, Forever Canadian, recently formally opened its campaign headquarters in Calgary. He told the BBC that his goal is not to tell Albertans how to vote, but to remind them what it means to be Canadian and, in his opinion, the dire consequences of separation.

He’s spent the last two months driving a refurbished, maple-leaf-laden 1997 camper nicknamed the “Unity Bus” around the province to defend Canada, handing out pins and lawn signs and talking to potential voters.

The October vote has been dismissed by people on both sides of the debate as a “referendum on a referendum,” as the question does not directly ask whether the province should secede, but rather whether Albertans want to explore the possibility.

Still, many on the pro-Canada side treat it as a binding vote.

“I think we’re all very concerned that Alberta politics could be consumed by this forever,” Hogan said.