Alberta votes on separation path as Prime Minister Mark Carney warns U.S. is trying to break Canada

Vote could start legal process

Carney urged Albertans not to treat the ballot as a way to send Ottawa a message. He warned that a vote against Canada could bring years of division and uncertainty.

Carney warns of U.S. pressure

Speaking Thursday at a Calgary rally, Carney said some forces outside Canada were trying to break the country so they could control it. He did not name the United States or President Donald Trump in that passage.

His warning came as Trump wages a trade war with Canada and has repeatedly threatened to make it the 51st U.S. state. Carney has called for Canada to strengthen its economy and reduce its reliance on the United States.

A rally in Calgary

Carney, who grew up in Alberta, campaigned in Calgary before speaking at the Forever Canadian rally at the BMO Centre. His office estimated attendance at about 5,000; some people waited more than two hours to pass through security.

Earlier in the day, he cited Albertans born or educated elsewhere in Canada and firefighters arriving from across the country during wildfires as signs of the province’s connections to the rest of Canada. A second rally with Carney was planned in Edmonton on Friday.

Energy grievances remain

Carney recognized that many Albertans are frustrated, recalling that Ottawa had made some feel their resources were not their own. He also said the province had recently felt its energy contributions were out of step with history.

The Liberal prime minister pointed to the proposed Pacific Link pipeline as evidence of a changed relationship with Alberta. He said it would create more than 140,000 jobs and provide revenue for social programs, while reducing Canada’s dependence on the United States.

Separatist leaders push back

Tanya Clemens, co-chair of Let Alberta Decide, said Carney presented a challenge to the independence campaign. She described his agreements with Alberta Premier Danielle Smith as “pinky promises” that did not resolve longstanding disputes with Ottawa.