Prime Minister Mark Carney wrapped up his two-day, pro-Canada barnstorming tour of Alberta by rallying with thousands of supporters in his hometown on Friday night.
“Alberta’s my home,” Carney said as thousands erupted in cheers in a party-like atmosphere at Edmonton’s Expo Centre.
“I grew up here,” said Carney.
“This city, this province, this country, have given me everything — my family, my education and my values.”
Supporters were dressed in all manner of Maple Leaf gear. They jammed bleachers, danced, waved Canadian flags and cheered a song stipulating Canada will never be the 51st U.S. state.
The prime minister implored Albertans to vote to keep the province in Canada. “There are some outside our borders who are working to break us so they can own us. Never,” he said.
“A vote against Canada is a dangerous bluff that will lead to years of deep uncertainty and lost opportunities for Albertans and Canadians.
“Our country and your futures are too precious to play games with.”
There was also dissent. One person shouted at Carney as he talked about Canadians serving in the military. “Please,” said Carney, “(show) some respect for our men and women in service.”
Carney has been meeting with Canadians for two days in Edmonton, Red Deer and Calgary, posing for selfies, shaking hands and spreading the message to keep the country whole.
He made a similar rally speech to thousands a day earlier in Calgary.
On Monday, Albertans will vote on whether to stay in Canada or hold a second, binding referendum on quitting Confederation.
Earlier Friday, Carney was at a brewery in Red Deer, halfway between Edmonton and Calgary, with Alberta Premier Danielle Smith. The two tapped a keg, had a beer, sang O Canada and made a last-ditch pitch for the province to stay in Confederation.
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It was a Maple Leaf love affair. About 50 people squeezed in and jockeyed for position inside Red Hart Brewing. They wore Canada shirts, hats, sweaters, jerseys and pins. There were mayors, members of Parliament and former Alberta premier Ed Stelmach.
Outside, there were another 100 supporters. Across the street, a lone protester with an Alberta flag strode back and forth.
Smith and Carney praised each other as sharp-eyed, flinty negotiators who fight for their positions but want the best for Canada. They said they’re making progress, including with a proposed fast-tracked oil pipeline from Alberta to the B.C. coast.
“For the first time in a long time, Alberta and Canada are walking together,” Smith said.
They are, however, agreeing to disagree when it comes to the rest of Smith’s referendum. The leaving-Canada question is one of 10 on the ballot. Smith wants Albertans to endorse nine other proposals.
Those proposals urge her government to take more control and impose new rules surrounding immigration and to pursue constitutional changes that wrest power from Ottawa. Smith has said she needs that mandate to negotiate a better deal with Ottawa.
Carney is urging Albertans to reject the nine proposals. Smith said she’ll work to change his mind.
As the brewery crowd looked on, Smith handed Carney an explanatory booklet on the questions, adding, “I have bad news for you, prime minister, all of the premiers are interested in talking about immigration and how we might be able to reform it.”
Federal Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre also made a last-minute pitch for unity Friday. In a speech in Calgary at the Canada Strong & Free Network, he said he understands separatist disillusionment with the state of affairs in Canada but said quitting isn’t the answer.
“Quitting is the easy way out — and Albertans are not quitters,” Poilievre said.
“We don’t just take our ball and go home. We don’t walk away. We stand and fight for what we believe in, and we reflect upon all that we have.”
He said he gets how people are unhappy with rising costs and what he characterized as a lax justice system, an out-of-control immigration program and federal policies that curtail resource development. But he urged Albertans to see the bigger picture.
“Canada is more than a government,” he said. “It is a people, a flag, a land, a history and a promise.”
Polls have suggested a strong majority of Albertans will vote to stay in Canada, but leaders stress that voter apathy could open the door to a winning vote for separation.
Albertans have been voting by mail and, for the past few days, at advance polls in numbers that suggest the final count could set a record. Elections Alberta said over one million had voted as of Thursday night.
Smith called the referendum earlier this year. She said bubbling discontent with past federal policies recently reached a boiling point with hundreds of thousands signing petitions for and against staying in Confederation. She said a referendum is needed to resolve the issue once and for all.
Critics, however, say Smith isn’t resolving a broad-based existential debate. Instead, they say, she has inflamed and validated latent fringe separatist sentiment, rolling the dice on the future of the country to appease hardliners in her United Conservative Party.
— with files from Dayne Patterson in Calgary and Catherine Morrison in Ottawa
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From 8 p.m. MT to midnight, our Decision Alberta Referendum 2026 coverage will air on Globalnews.ca, as well as on YouTube and our Global TV app that is available on streaming services Prime Video, Apple TV, Roku, and select smart TVs.
Starting at 9 p.m., the special will also begin airing live on all Global News stations in Alberta.
When Alberta separates USA military will help us build up military to protect against our ENEMIES! Easy Peasy! Also help us forcefully remove all liberals!
“I grew up here,” said Carney.
I recall that Chrystia Freeland often said the same thing.
Alberta received very little support from her.
Brookfield Asset Management’s most notable recent activity involving Edmonton is its private-equity acquisition of Gregg Distributors LP, an Edmonton-based industrial and automotive supply company, valued at $1.6 billion In July 2026
No conflict of interest LOL
Did Carney go to check on his US assets ? Cause he’s mostly in the EU anyway
I think Ben wants carneys sausage in his azz .
Ben
October 16, 2026 at 8:26 pm
To those that don’t know, there is no absolute right for countries to be granted access to the sea. There has to be a mutual agreement. It is misinformation to say this is an automatic granted right.
Where does that mutual agreement come from?
International frameworks guarantee them the legal right to cross foreign territories to reach international waters. Under Part X of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), landlocked states enjoy the “right of access to and from the sea and freedom of transit”
Ben
October 17, 2026 at 7:31 am
Proud of my country and Carney. Go Canada!
What has Carney accomplished in the last 18 months?
Carney’s hometown isn’t Edmonton, he was born in NWT. He also has 3 passports and has barely lived in Canada the last 15 years. He isn’t Captain Canada.
So is trump going to attend any of the separatists rallies? He their man (sic)
Oh really, Carney is touring? I had not noticed…
I’m not opposed to the concept of transfer payments, I do however have some complaints with how they are calculated.
Transfer payments are supposed balance out some of the needs across the country (health care) and supposedly let all provinces share resource and other revenues.
The revenues aren’t collected equally, that’s my beef.
Alberta’s frustration with the federal government increased significantly over the Trudeau years. The cancellation of energy projects, tanker bans etc essentially stopped investment in Alberta. In hindsight had the 3 major proposed pipeline projects been allowed to proceed they would be flowing now and bringing in enormous revenue to the entire country.
The east side of the country never understood what they were opposing and largely still don’t.
I don’t expect Alberta to say yes to separation, I don’t think Quebec will separate anytime in the next century either.
Proud of my country and Carney. Go Canada!
Carney is a total cheeseball and fraud. Just like he pretended he almost made the NHL but really was the 4th string goalie at Harvard
Canada must be pillaged for is tax dollars if Brookfi
It would be better for everyone if you ditched the oil ….then have all church loving Albertans move back home and you guys stick to what’s best for you and get back to haying!
@ anonymous….not paranoid….tired of fin hearing about it and how stupid it is. I hope you do separate…I really do! Then we don’t have to talk to you like we don’t talk to Bangladesh or some other foreign country we don’t have a use for. My problem is we’re stuck with you!
@Bc resident what you say shows that your are one of those meth or crackheads. sorry but its obvious .if you want to “be paranoid “over Alberta separation for what ever reason its time for you to seek help for treatment
Hilarious morons on here.
Now the separatists finally realize Danielle Smith played them like all the others. Now she’s a federalist. LOL
Mitch: Are you insane or just a liar?
Ben – Brexit has clearly proven that seperating will not cause the massive aociety-crippling issues that the federalists seem to claim it will. Independent AB is still connected to the same pipelines that Canadian AB is, what changes will be the benefactor
Carneys hometown is somewhere in Whales, not Edmonton. Useless EU trash PM
@Cornhole carney and al bertan….. first…no crackheads in Alberta??? Thats right you’ve got methheads in the great trailer park known as the province of Alberta. And all of their cousins moved to Kelowna, Kamloops and Vancouver Island.
Al Bertan…proud Albertan! News flash Doughhead …..the entire country pays taxes to Ottawa not just you guys. Hard concept to understand I know!!!
Edmonton in not Carneys “hometown” . The grifter was born in NWT, spent some time in Edmonton, then went to the USA. If he was such an Edmontonian, his seat would be in the city and not Nepean.
Carney is no Canadian. He has 3 passports, his kids go to school in the USA and 90% of his investments are in the USA. He doesn’t invest in Canada.
@ Joe. 10.45vhey cotton eye !you are calling smith a Treasonous?? is that all you got? look at your carney now that pos needs to be in prison, washing BILLIONS of Canadian tax dollars with fake donations ,conflict of interest with Brookfield and that’s just the start of a long list .this isa true criminal
Bc resident you people are the garbage of Canada BC is for B.um C.amps all the trash heads to Bc its one massive dumpster full of crack heads and junkies, when Alberta separates you people will be one less problem
this azzhole with the longhead needs to stay out of Alberta he is interfering in this election
Hi. I’m from Alberta, born and raised. I’ve always had a job and worked for everything I have. I don’t agree with easterners and federalists that believe I should continue giving away tax dollars to a country that doesn’t care about me or my family or respect Alberta in any way. Convince me why I should contribute money to the east so they can turn the rest of the country against my values.
Only treasonous fcks are libscum reetards and people who lick their azz out
Yankee doodler Danny has gone out of her way to sow division and hatred among Canadians. Governor smith has gone way out of her way to lower the bar for separation on behalf of her seperatists followers. Gov smith has done everything possible to support her seperatists agenda join America agenda . Treasonous .
Carney just gaslighting Albertans as he won’t build the pipeline. Total liar.
Carney is keeping his traitor wannabe governor close by , good to keep your American separatist supporter leader close by
@bc residumb, ALBERTANS be lucky to not have to see your kind anymore! You are the weakest link, goodbye! Good riddance to bad rubbish! What’s a BCer say when you say hello, DUH! My brain hurts! My azz too
@best, relax it’s gonna be ok, yuckity pluckity fckity zippity dooda day, also posting as bill, hahaha 😊 Go ALBERTA!
To those that don’t know, there is no absolute right for countries to be granted access to the sea. There has to be a mutual agreement. It is misinformation to say this is an automatic granted right.
landlocked countries access to sea
Landlocked countries do not have direct access to an ocean or sea, but international frameworks guarantee them the legal right to cross foreign territories to reach international waters. Under Part X of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), landlocked states enjoy the “right of access to and from the sea and freedom of transit”
Ben
October 16, 2026 at 6:29 pm
Ohh Benny you claim to be so smart but yet your not being very truthful with the landlock argument you know damn well any country / territory has the right to passage to sea or rail.
What a train wreck! The only things separating is your minds from reality! Stick to your tin foil hats, flat earth theories and freedom convoys! Stay with what you know….don’t drift into the other lane!
Canada needs Captain Canuck ! Lots of traitors, seperatists, maybe a few Russians to put down in Alberta !
Separate ALBERTA! Don’t let doomsayers discourage you! Your resources are second to none, oil and gas, future AI, nuclear power plants?, educated workforce, ALBERTANS are smartest most educated people. It’s not Brexit and UK, you’re equal to a thousand UK’s. I’ve lived there, I’ve seen what ALBERTANS have. TRUE GRIT, Hands on get it done, you don’t stand there with your hands on your hips for 11 years. Haha! You won’t regret it, it’ll be the BEST DECISION you ever made in your life. FUTURE generations will be prosperous beyond your wildest dreams. Rest in canada will probably collapse! ALBERTA THE ECONOMIC POWERHOUSE will stand TALL on its own. VOTE! I love Alberta and ALBERTAN’S!😊
Some commenters encourage people to vote for a vote for separation. A separate Alberta would be land locked and that would not work out well. Brexit has proven that the promises of the separatists cannot be believed.
Suckers who will vote to give thier province to usa for some cookies.
Separate ALBERTA! You ROCK! You have it all, 4th largest oil reserves, 8th largest gas reserves! You have a get it done attitude like I’ve never seen in my life! Everyone will want to invest in ALBERTA! YOU HAVE IT All! The COMPLETE PACKAGE! You’ll have TRILLIONS in investment! Love you ALBERTA! Choose FREEDOM! The sky is the limit! Best to you all!😊
We need a new conservative premier for now. Smith has swallowed the red pill. Neither of these federal politicians have been Albertans for many decades.
Alberta out!!!
There are 5 questions for the UCP racists.
There are 4 questions for the UCP anti-Ottawa cranks.
No to the first nine, Remain for #10.
Surprised they could find enough room to fit both of these narcissistic people together.
Both of them flip flopping along as one tries to save herself from this embarrassing referendum and the other promising every thing and doing nothing.
Great speeches though.
Soon to announce another holiday in Europe , China or India. Trade mission I meant. Oops! lol!
Separate ALBERTA! Fresh start, new beginning, you have EVERYTHING! Gas, educated workforce, get it done attitude, strongest work ethic in Canada ! Doomsayers are jealous of your ability and potential! HAPPY days ahead! You’ve been in charge of YOUR province, now be in charge of YOUR COUNTRY! Dream big, follow them, achieve them! TAKE CARE! BEST TO YOU!😊