Alberta: Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has urged Albertans to vote in favour of remaining part of Canada ahead of an independence referendum, warning that the stakes are high as the province faces a crucial decision about its future.
Speaking at a pro-unity rally in Calgary, Carney described the referendum as coming at ‘the worst possible time’ and called on voters to deliver a decisive result against separation. He emphasised the importance of voter participation, cautioning supporters against assuming that the outcome was already determined by opinion polls.
More than 450,000 Albertans have already cast their votes through early voting or mail-in ballots. The referendum question asks voters whether Alberta should remain part of Canada or begin the process of holding a binding referendum on separation.
LIVE: from Calgary, Alberta • EN DIRECT : de Calgary, Alberta https://t.co/LlTuSR4eLg
— Mark Carney (@MarkJCarney) October 16, 2026
Campaigners on both sides are making their final appeals ahead of vote. Although opinion polls suggest that most Albertans support remaining within Canada, Carney warned that the level of voter turnout could play a decisive role in determining the outcome.
The rally was part of a two-day campaign by the prime minister to rally support for Canadian unity across Alberta. Carney is scheduled to attend another pro-unity event in Edmonton, continuing his efforts to encourage voters to reject independence.
Carney visited several businesses in Calgary and met with pro-unity volunteers as part of a get-out-the-vote campaign. The visits aimed to strengthen support for keeping Alberta within Canada as both sides make their final efforts to influence voters before the referendum.
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