Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney called for Alberta to remain in Canada at a Calgary rally as voters prepare to decide whether the province should begin constitutional steps toward a separation referendum.
At the Forever Canadian rally on Oct. 15, Carney warned that actors beyond Canada’s borders were seeking to split the country. He described the wider world as more dangerous and divided, but did not identify a country or leader as the source of the threat.
Question 10 is one of 10 questions on Alberta’s Oct. 19 ballot. It asks voters to choose between keeping Alberta as a Canadian province and directing the government to start the constitutional process for a binding referendum on separation. Elections Alberta says the result on Question 10 is nonbinding, so it will not itself decide whether Alberta leaves Canada.
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith has said she will vote for the province to remain in Canada. Her government has described the wider referendum effort as a way to press for changes involving immigration, provincial powers and fiscal matters. In a February address, Smith argued that federal transfers and immigration policy put pressure on Alberta taxpayers and public services.
The White House said President Donald Trump signed five proclamations on Sept. 8 covering import bans on certain Canadian products and tariff changes. It said the tariff changes took effect Sept. 15 and the import bans were scheduled to take effect Sept. 29.
Separately, the federal government listed the proposed Pacific Link oil pipeline as a project of national interest on Oct. 1. Ottawa says Canada and Alberta would share ownership equally, while Indigenous communities would be offered a stake of at least 10%. The federal announcement projects an additional one million barrels of exports per day to Asia; Alberta’s project database estimates a $43.7 billion cost and lists completion by 2032. The project remains proposed.
Elections Alberta says advance voting runs through Oct. 17, Election Day is Oct. 19, and official results are scheduled for Oct. 29.
