Prime Minister Mark Carney warned Thursday that Alberta's upcoming referendum on independence could lead to “years of uncertainty,” drawing comparisons to the United Kingdom's 2016 Brexit vote. The referendum, set for Oct. 19, asks Albertans whether they want to hold a binding vote on secession from Canada.
Carney draws parallels to Brexit
Speaking at an end-of-session press conference on Parliament Hill, Carney noted that the UK's vote to leave the European Union occurred exactly a decade ago as of this past Tuesday, and its consequences have been profound. “This is a real referendum,” Carney said of the question being posed to Albertans. “It's not, you know, a question about a question, free option. It's a dangerous bluff.”
Carney, who served as Bank of England governor during the 2016 Brexit referendum, said he witnessed firsthand how the campaign was “sold” to the public. “That everything is going to be easy, that you can keep your passport, you can keep the currency, you can stay in the country and leave it at the same time,” he recalled. “You see what's happened in the United Kingdom. It's very reminiscent. At a minimum, it's years of uncertainty before the subsequent question comes, right at a time the world is fundamentally uncertain.”
Impact on Canada's global standing
Carney emphasized that such uncertainty would harm Canada's reputation as a stable and reliable business destination. “Right at a time Alberta and Canada, Quebec, Ontario, the territories, the whole country, are moving to the forefront, right at the time when we're seen as one of the most trustworthy, reliable, desirable countries to do business with, and we shouldn't mess that up,” he said.
The prime minister, who was raised in Edmonton, has previously referred to Alberta Premier Danielle Smith's decision to include an independence question on the ballot as a “dangerous bluff.” Smith has defended the move, citing thousands of Albertans who signed petitions on the issue and a court decision that quashed a separatist group's petition campaign over the province's failure to consult First Nations.
Political reactions and pipeline deal
Carney's comments come as he prepares to visit Alberta next month for the Calgary Stampede and works to implement parts of a deal with Smith that could pave the way for a new million-barrel-a-day oil pipeline to the West Coast, in exchange for Alberta increasing its carbon price on heavy industries.
Opposition Conservative MPs, including party leader Pierre Poilievre, who represents the rural Alberta riding of Battle River-Crowfoot, have criticized Carney's remarks. Poilievre, raised in Calgary, has committed that his party will campaign for “a strong Alberta within a united Canada.” Smith has also faced criticism from fellow premiers like Manitoba's Wab Kinew and Ontario's Doug Ford over the independence question.
