Carney Urges Albertans to Vote Against Separation at Calgary Rally

CALGARY—Prime Minister Mark Carney emphasized the importance of Alberta’s contributions to Canada and the interconnectedness between the provinces during a rally in Calgary on Oct. 15.

Speaking to a crowd of thousands at the BMO Centre, many waving Canadian flags, Carney said Alberta’s upcoming referendum “comes at the worst possible time” and urged voters to reject separation.

“The world has become more dangerous and divided. There are some outside our borders who are working to break us, so they can win,” Carney said. “We know that when we are united, we become even stronger, even fairer, even freer.”

Alberta’s referendum will be held Oct. 19, with advance voting from Oct. 13 to 17.

The non-binding referendum asks Albertans to choose between remaining in Canada or beginning the process to hold a referendum to separate from Canada. Nine other questions concern giving Alberta more provincial authority over immigration, judiciary appointments, and whether to pursue abolishing the Senate, among other matters.

Carney, who will attend another rally in Edmonton on Oct. 16, is also urging Albertans to vote against the changes sought under the non-separation related questions. In Calgary, he said Albertans should help build a stronger Canada and Alberta so that “we can have diversity in this province, so we take care of each other, and build together.”

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith, who is campaigning against separation but urges Albertans to vote yes on the other questions, said she has found common ground with Carney on many issues, but that he has to “fully understand just how damaging the open-border policies of his predecessor were.”

“That’s why I’m encouraging Albertans to vote ‘yes to the rest’ to give our government a strong mandate to take more control over our immigration system, so that we can prioritize economic migrants, put Albertans first for jobs, and ensure Albertans’ social services are sustainable,” she said on social media in response to Carney on Oct. 15.

‘Canada Is Building Big Again’

In his speech at the BMO Centre, Carney listed some of Alberta’s contributions to Canada and the world, including in energy, agriculture and military service, as well as former Premier Peter Lougheed’s role in shaping Canada’s constitution along with former Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau.

“I’m proud of how Alberta has shaped Canada,” said Carney, who grew up in Edmonton. “Canada is building big again, and Alberta is at the very heart of it.”

Carney said that “the frustrations that many Albertans have felt are real,” but they can be resolved in a more united Canada. He pointed to progress on major projects in Alberta, including the proposed Alberta-B.C. oil pipeline Pacific Link, which he said would create more than 140,000 jobs.

“It will reduce our dependence on the United States,” he said as the audience broke into sustained cheering. “Careful, careful. They might think that’s election interference,” Carney joked in reference to the upcoming U.S. midterm elections. U.S. Ambassador to Canada Pete Hoekstra has warned that some comments Canadian cabinet ministers have made about applying political pressure on U.S. decision-makers with counter-tariffs could amount to interference in U.S. elections.

Carney thanked the organizer of the event, former Alberta Deputy Premier Thomas Lukaszuk, as well as Calgary Mayor Jeromy Farkas, both of whom spoke before him and rallied the crowd around a pro-Canada message.

Carney encouraged voters to show up at the polls to vote against separation.

“Don’t let anyone tell you that this is already decided. Turnout will determine the outcome,” he said, adding that a vote against staying in Canada is also a “dangerous bluff.”

Rally attendee Rodrigo Magana said he moved to Canada over a decade ago from El Salvador and is alarmed by the separatist sentiment in Alberta.

“I don’t like this separatist rhetoric and how we are dividing the population,” he told The Epoch Times.

Fellow rally attendee Donald MacKimmie said he supports Alberta’s governing United Conservative Party and understands the grievances many Albertans feel toward Ottawa, but said separation is not the answer.

“Alberta has not been able over the past 10 years to do what it has rights to do under our constitution, but you know Trudeau wouldn’t allow that. He tried to put us out of business, showed us no respect,” MacKimmie said, adding that he believes things are improving under Carney.

Polls show support for separation is significantly higher in rural areas of the province. A September survey by Abacus Data suggested that 78 percent of Edmontonians and 71 percent of Calgarians oppose separation, while only 46 percent of rural Alberta residents oppose it, with 23 percent undecided and 31 percent supporting independence.

Kim Fitzpatrick of Cochrane, Alta., told The Epoch Times earlier in the day that he backs independence because Alberta gets unfair treatment from Ottawa.

“Albertans are different. We are not central Canada, we are not B.C., we are not the Maritimes,” Fitzpatrick said. “Alberta’s been disadvantaged ever since we came into Confederation.”

Evert Sweep of Calgary said he has supported Alberta independence since the election of former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in 2015, adding that independence is the only solution to the province’s frustrations with Ottawa.

“Ottawa’s too far and the electoral reform is not happening,” Sweep told The Epoch Times.

Elections Alberta says referendum results will be released 48 hours after polls close on Oct. 19, with official results out on Oct. 29.