Edmonton, Alberta — Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney made a final appeal to voters considering a path toward independence in his home province of Alberta on Friday, warning that a referendum is a dangerous gamble at a time of growing threats to Canada’s sovereignty, reports BritPanorama.
With U.S. President Donald Trump waging a trade war and threatening to make Canada the 51st state, Carney warned that the referendum comes at the “worst possible time” and urged Albertans not to take the outcome for granted.
“Don’t let anyone tell you this is already decided. Turnout will determine the outcome,” Carney told a pro-Canada rally in Edmonton, where he grew up.
“This is not a game. This is not poker. A vote against Canada is a dangerous bluff that will lead to years of deep uncertainty and lost opportunities for Albertans and Canadians,” he stated.
Monday’s vote is not a direct referendum on independence. Alberta, which has most of Canada’s proven oil reserves — the fourth largest in the world — will decide whether to remain a province or instruct the government to begin the legal process toward a future referendum on separation.
Carney’s closing appeal followed two days of campaigning against separation in the province. Earlier Friday, the Liberal prime minister joined Alberta’s conservative premier Danielle Smith in a show of unity against independence.
Smith praised Carney for improving relations with a province that frequently clashed with his predecessor, Justin Trudeau, over issues such as the carbon tax and other energy policies.
“I think what we can agree on is that we have had some real change in the last 18 months,” Smith said alongside Carney in Red Deer, Alberta.
Smith noted that Carney grew up in Alberta and remains an Edmonton Oilers fan. “He can’t be all bad, right?” she joked.
Trump’s threats raise the stakes
“Some outside our borders are working to break us so they can own us. Never. Never,” Carney warned Friday in Edmonton, repeating a message from the day earlier in Calgary.
At both the Calgary and Edmonton rallies, the crowd erupted in its loudest applause when Carney addressed reducing Canada’s economic dependence on the United States.
Carney acknowledged Alberta’s longstanding resentment of federal energy policies, reflecting on his experiences growing up in the province. “Growing up, I remember how Ottawa made Albertans feel like our resources weren’t our own,” he said.
However, he also emphasized his deep ties to the province. “Alberta is my home. I grew up here. This city, this province, this country have given me everything: my family, my education, my values,” he asserted.
Some Albertans say the vote shouldn’t have been called
Outside the Edmonton rally venue on Friday, Alberta independence supporters waved flags, displaying a sign that read “Say no to Carney’s new world order.”
Smith called the referendum despite opposing independence herself, citing a poll showing that 22% of Albertans support separation, a figure she described as still too high.
Smith faces pressure from separatists within her governing United Conservative Party as well. Former Premier Jason Kenney indicated that the independence movement had gained momentum within the party, as activists angry over COVID-19 restrictions, partly influenced by conspiracy theories, embraced separatism.
Meanwhile, some Albertans wishing to remain in Canada expressed anger towards Smith for calling the vote. “I think it’s a travesty really to be putting our province and our country through this when such a small portion of people are rabble-rousing and saying they want to separate from Canada,” remarked Deb Lee, a retired Calgary resident who voted in advance to remain in Canada.
Smith asserted that Carney had satisfactorily addressed seven of nine federal laws that Alberta opposed, also highlighting cooperation on a proposed oil pipeline.
Independence advocate Tanya Clemens dismissed the agreements between Carney and Smith as “basically pinky promises” that come with too many conditions.
Political leaders unite against separation
Carney’s chief political rival, federal Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre, also urged Albertans on Friday to maintain their connection with Canada. “Don’t leave your fellow Canadians behind. Lock arms with them,” he stated.
Despite their consensus on keeping Alberta within Canada, Carney and Smith remain divided over nine other questions on Monday’s ballot involving immigration and provincial powers. Smith advocates for voters to approve them, while Carney has encouraged their rejection.
“For the first time in a long time, Alberta and Canada are walking together,” Smith remarked.
