Prime Minister Mark Carney has urged Canadians to stand together, a week before voters in Alberta decide whether to start a process that could lead to the province seeking independence from Canada. In a Thanksgiving video message released on Monday, he warned that the country faces pressure on its economy, its security and its way of life.
Carney said the nation cannot erect major projects on weak foundations, adding: “We can’t build big things on fault lines.” He argued that Canadians are stronger when they act together.
What the Alberta referendum would decide
Albertans will go to the polls on October 19 to determine whether the province should begin the legal steps needed to pursue independence. The initial vote is non-binding, but it proposes that a binding referendum be held later to settle whether Alberta should leave the country.
Voters will be asked whether Alberta should stay as a province of Canada, or whether the provincial government should launch the legal procedure set out in the Canadian Constitution that would allow a binding separation referendum. The wording is lengthy, but the underlying choice is straightforward.
Economic grievances and claims of US involvement
The separatist push has gained momentum, fuelled by long-standing complaints about federal energy and environmental rules. Secessionists accuse the federal government of unfairly singling out Alberta’s oil and gas sector, which sits at the heart of the provincial economy.
The movement is also drawing attention in the United States, where relations with Canada have grown tense under President Donald Trump. According to a recent investigation, US Republican operatives met separatist organisers in Alberta to discuss campaign strategy. The same investigation alleged that separatist leaders had offered access to the province’s water and oil royalties in return for American backing for independence. Separatist leaders have disputed these claims.
Quebec election result and Elon Musk’s reaction
Carney’s remarks follow a provincial election in Quebec last week, in which the Parti Quebecois, another secessionist movement, won the most seats and returned to power after more than a decade. The party took 59 of the 129 seats in the National Assembly, falling short of a majority.
The result drew praise from Elon Musk, a US tech entrepreneur described as the richest person on the planet, who has used his wealth and influence to back political causes, particularly on the far right. On social media, Musk wrote that Quebec should separate, adding that the province would be better off and that Alberta and Saskatchewan should also separate.
Carney, who grew up in Alberta, recorded his message from a classroom at St Francis Xavier High School in Edmonton, his former school. He said he has been spending more time at home because large projects are under way again in the province, including thousands of new homes, high-speed rail and a new pipeline to the West Coast.
Despite the growing visibility of the secessionist movement, polls suggest that most Albertans oppose independence.
