OTTAWA – Prime Minister Mark Carney sparked a Brexit backlash by warning that Alberta’s referendum proposal is a “very dangerous deception” for Canada.
“People say it’s the beginning of a negotiation process, but for some people it’s the beginning of real secession,” Carney said Monday, referring to Premier Danielle Smith’s plan to hold a referendum in October on whether Alberta should pursue a formal secession vote.
“That is very dangerous nonsense,” Carney said, pointing to the turmoil that followed Britain’s vote to leave the European Union a decade ago. The decision by nearly 52 percent of British voters to leave the European Union sparked a wave of instability in the second half of Carney’s tenure as Bank of England governor, leading to widespread unrest across the Atlantic when President Donald Trump unexpectedly won power months later.
Carney’s remarks, his most open criticism since Smith announced Thursday he would allow Albertans to vote on the pre-referendum question, followed his January Davos speech in which he urged solidarity and unity over what he called the “breakdown” of the international world order.
Carney had a front seat when the British Prime Minister at the timeDavid Cameron’s gamble to let the referendum failand the results are still visible today.
“I saw firsthand what happened in England, when the attitude was, ‘Vote this, it’s going to be smooth, and then we’ll negotiate,'” Carney told reporters. “Still 10 years later they’re trying to undo what people didn’t think they were voting for, but what they actually had.”
Carney was asked if he tried to stop Smith from going down the referendum route.
“The Prime Minister does not always agree with my advice,” he replied.
Carney has used local political capital in an effort to mend the decades-long rift between Ottawa and Alberta, signing a memorandum of understanding with the Smith government that could pave the way for a new oil pipeline from the province’s oil fields to the coast of British Columbia.
The Alberta agreement has drawn fire from the BC government, some indigenous groups and environmentalists, who accuse Carney of abandoning his climate credentials and betraying his former role as the UN’s special envoy on climate action and finance.
The Alberta MOU is also part of Carney’s “nation-building” major projects strategy, designed to jump-start the construction of other major energy and infrastructure projects, including green options such as electricity and nuclear power, to bolster Canada’s economy in the face of Trump’s economic threats.
Carney made it clear on Monday that the referendum question undermines the stability that investors are looking for.
“Is it the democratic will of Albertans? Did they vote for this in the last provincial election? No, they didn’t. It wasn’t on the ballot paper, it wasn’t in the ruling party’s mandate or platforms … It is what it is.”
Carney said he would be “campaigning for a united Canada,” insisting on staying in a strong country that benefits all provinces.
“Being part of Canada brings a lot of economic benefits, being part of our great market, being part of free trade agreements with one and a half billion people around the world,” Carney said.
“It’s more than an economic benefit, it’s a social one,” Carney added.
“Canadians care about each other. We care about each other in our social programs, we care about each other in different provinces, we look out for each other internationally. And this is a very important time.”
Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre and other party members have also pledged to campaign for Canadian unity, and several unofficial “stay” campaigns have been launched. “I am a strong federalist of Canada, a proud Albertan and a proud Canadian,” said Poilievre, who now represents the Alberta riding. “I want a strong Alberta within a united Canada, and all Conservatives will be campaigning for a united Canada in Alberta.”
The Alberta question will dominate the last two weeks of Canada’s legislative session before the summer break. Two Alberta Liberals had to address it on Monday in an unrelated announcement.
“Being an Albertan and being a Canadian, it’s the same thing,” said Emergency Management Minister Eleanor Olszewski. “They are connected. … And the heartbreaking aspect is now being asked, at this moment, to choose between which aspect of myself I am.”
Calgary Liberal MP Corey Hogan said the referendum push does not represent the wishes of the majority of Albertans, pointing to two recent polls that show separatists drawing just short.26 percentand28 percentsupport.
“This is an agenda that is driven by a small group of Albertans. Some of them would be separatists in any situation,” said Hogan.
Earlier this year, Carney warned the Trump White Housenot to interfere with Alberta’s secessionist movementafter it was found that those who want to separate have reached MAGA.
Smith also visited Trump at Mar-a-Lago in January 2025 before returning to power.
