Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney on Friday said Alberta is "at the centre" of his plans for the country's economy, hours after the province announced it will hold a referendum in October on whether to begin the process of separating from Canada.
Speaking to reporters, Carney emphasized federal-provincial cooperation and repeatedly stressed Alberta's importance, but did not directly address the upcoming vote. "Canada is the greatest country in the world, but it can be better. And we're working on making it better; we're working with Alberta on making it better," he said.
Carney highlighted his recent visit to Calgary, where he announced agreements including fast-tracking an oil pipeline from Alberta to the West Coast. "We're renovating the country as we go, and Alberta being at the centre of that is essential," he added.
On Thursday, Alberta Premier Danielle Smith announced the province would hold a referendum on whether to hold a binding separation vote. The decision came after a court blocked a petition for a separation vote, citing lack of consultation with Indigenous groups.
Smith said she personally opposes separation but rejected the court ruling. "Despite my personal support for remaining in Canada, I am deeply troubled by an erroneous court decision that interferes with the democratic rights of hundreds of thousands of Albertans," she said in a video message.
The group Stay Free Alberta claims to have gathered over 300,000 signatures for separation, while Forever Canada says it has over 400,000 signatures to remain. Smith said her government would respect the referendum results, but it remains unclear if the vote can proceed amid the judicial block.
Polls indicate a majority of Albertans do not support independence. However, the vote could deepen political polarization in Canada, posing a major challenge for Carney's Liberal government, which has long been viewed with skepticism in the conservative-dominated province.
Carney has signaled willingness to ease environmental policies, but 14 Liberal MPs wrote him a letter warning against major concessions to Alberta. Smith praised Carney for adopting Alberta's energy positions, but vowed to continue challenging the federal government on provincial rights.
Source: www.aljazeera.com