Edmonton, October 17, 2026 – The Europe Today: Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney on Friday warned that external forces were seeking to divide Canada ahead of a referendum concerning Alberta’s future, urging residents to uphold national unity amid growing political uncertainty.
Addressing the Forever Canadian Rally in Edmonton, Alberta, Carney described the timing of the referendum as particularly challenging, saying it came at a moment when the world was becoming increasingly dangerous and divided.
“Open your eyes. There are some outside our borders who are working to break us, so they can own us. Never, never,” Carney told supporters, according to media reports.
The proposed vote will ask Albertans whether they wish to remain part of Canada or proceed with a second, binding referendum on the province’s separation from the country.
Carney acknowledged that commitments made between nations had been broken at various points in Canada’s history. However, he said disagreements and perceived injustices should be addressed collectively rather than through withdrawal from the national framework.
“When something’s not right, when something’s not fair, we as Albertans, as Canadians, we don’t hide from it, we don’t walk away from it,” he said.
Turning to the federal government’s energy strategy, the prime minister highlighted Alberta’s importance to Canada’s economic development, describing the province as central to the country’s efforts to expand its economic and energy potential.
“Canada is building big again. Alberta is at the very heart of it,” he said.
Carney also pointed to the proposed Pacific Link pipeline, saying the project would help Canada unlock its energy resources and diversify its economic partnerships while reducing dependence on the United States.
“By building the Pacific Link pipeline, we are launching our full energy potential. We are reducing our dependence on the United States,” he said.
The prime minister urged Albertans to support national unity, arguing that cooperation and collective action were necessary to address the province’s concerns and strengthen the country.
“Now is the time to build, not break. It’s our turn to stand up for Canada,” he said.
Emphasising the importance of public participation in the referendum, Carney said the level of voter turnout would play a decisive role in determining the outcome.
“So once again, turnout will decide this referendum because polls don’t vote; only people vote,” he added.
He concluded by calling for collective efforts to resolve disagreements and strengthen relations between Alberta and the rest of Canada, saying that addressing challenges together would reinforce the country’s unity.
“We fix it together, and we become stronger because of it, because that is Alberta, that is Canada,” Carney said.
