Canada’s Prime Minister Mark Carney says Alberta separation vote comes at ‘worst time’
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ASSOCIATED PRESS
Calgary, Alberta - 15 October 2026
1. SOUNDBITE (English) Mark Carney, Canadian Prime Minister:
“We are stronger together. And Canada's worth fighting for. And what are we fighting for? Fighting for is about showing up. And showing up to vote. Polls don't vote, people vote.”
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2. SOUNDBITE (English) Mark Carney, Canadian Prime Minister:
“I'm going to say it two ways. The first is, there couldn't be a worse time for this referendum. It's a dangerous and divided world. And, you know, it's time for us to come together and stand up for ourselves. And to take care of each other. Right? That's the lesson that we've taken. And this is an opportunity to do both. Stand up for Alberta at the heart of Canada. Recognize that we're all responsible for each other. You think of the examples. You think of this province. You know, 30% of the people in this province were born and educated in other provinces of Canada. They've come here because, well, why wouldn't you come to Bridgeland? Why wouldn't you come to Calgary? Why wouldn't you come to Alberta to build it even better? When we have forest fires, firefighters from across Canada come here and help to put them out. We saw that in Jasper. We saw that in Fort McMurray.”
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3. SOUNDBITE (English) Mark Carney, Canadian Prime Minister:
“I just wanted to come here and thank you for what you've already done. Thank you for what you're going to do in the next few days. Make sure everyone's out there marking their ballots on by Monday, including Monday.”
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STORYLINE:
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said Thursday there “couldn’t be a worse time” for oil-rich Alberta to start down a path toward a future referendum on separation from Canada, as he campaigned for national unity in Calgary during advance voting.
Monday’s vote is not a direct referendum on independence. Alberta, which has the world’s fourth-largest proven oil reserves, will decide whether to remain a province or instruct the government to begin the legal process toward a future referendum on separation.
“There couldn’t be a worse time for this referendum,” Carney told pro-Canada volunteers working to turn out voters. “It’s a dangerous and divided world. And it’s time for us to come together and stand up for ourselves and take care of each other.”
Carney did not mention U.S. President Donald Trump, but his warning came amid Trump’s trade war with Canada, economic uncertainty from tariffs and repeated threats to make Canada the 51st state. Carney has repeatedly argued that Canada needs to become more economically resilient and less dependent on the United States.
“We are stronger together and Canada is worth fighting for,” Carney told the volunteers.
Carney takes his unity campaign to Alberta
Carney opened Thursday with three stops before heading to the day’s main event, a Forever Canadian rally at the BMO Centre, where he was expected to make the case for keeping Alberta in Canada. Organizers were also holding a second rally with Carney in Edmonton on Friday.
He pointed to the many Albertans who were born or educated elsewhere in Canada and to firefighters who come from across the country to help Alberta during wildfires as examples of the ties binding the province to the rest of Canada.
“We’re making ourselves stronger as a country, stronger as Albertans,” Carney said. He urged volunteers to make sure voters cast their ballots by Monday.
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