Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney warned on Thursday that “some outside our borders” are trying to break Canada so they can “own us” as he urged oil-rich Alberta province to reject a process towards separation in Monday’s referendum.
“There are some outside our borders who are working to break us so they can own us,” Carney told a pro-unity rally in Calgary.
Monday's referendum includes 10 questions on immigration, public services, constitutional powers and Alberta's future in Canada. The separation question asks whether to begin a legal process towards a binding vote, rather than directly deciding independence.
Premier Danielle Smith supports remaining in Canada but backs the other nine proposals.
According to polls, less than a quarter of Alberta’s population support breaking away from Canada.
“This referendum, let's be clear, it comes at the worst possible time,” Carney said, warning of an increasingly dangerous and divided world.
Separatists in Alberta have voiced common conservative frustrations, from concerns about immigration to generalised fears about fraying individual liberty, but their grievances often hinge on oil industry management.
Acknowledging Albertans' longstanding frustrations with Ottawa over energy resources, Carney highlighted the proposed Pacific Link pipeline, saying it would create more than 140,000 jobs and reduce dependence on the US.
“Let Alberta lead, not leave,” he said.
Carney urged voters to deliver a decisive result on October 19, saying separation would bring “years of deep division and great uncertainty.”
“A vote against Canada is a dangerous bluff that will lead to years of deep uncertainty and lost opportunities,” he said.
