The Canadian Prime Minister warned that pushing for a referendum on Alberta's separation is poorly timed amid trade wars and pressure from the United States, as the public prepares to vote on 19 Oct on whether to begin the process of holding a separation referendum.
On 15 Oct 2026 GMT+7, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney visited Calgary, Alberta, to campaign for public support of national unity ahead of the vote on Monday, 19 Oct. He warned that there is no worse time than now to push for Alberta's separation from Canada while the world faces conflicts and divisions.
This vote is not a direct referendum on independence but asks the public whether Alberta should remain a Canadian province or authorize the government to start legal steps to hold a future separation referendum.
Prime Minister Carney told Canadian supporters that the country is stronger when united and urged people to vote on Monday. Though he did not mention U.S. President Donald Trump by name, his warning came amid trade disputes with the U.S., impacts of tariffs, and repeated threats from Trump to make Canada the 51st U.S. state.
This campaign is notable because Alberta has long clashed with the Liberal government in Ottawa, especially over energy and federal power issues. Nevertheless, Carney has pushed to build a new oil pipeline to the Pacific coast and announced efforts to make Canada an energy superpower, increasing challenges for separatist supporters.
Support for Alberta’s separation has grown after the COVID-19 pandemic and the 2022 Freedom Convoy protests, which helped anti-restriction activists organize politically. Separatists view this vote not only as a step toward independence but also as leverage to negotiate with the federal government. Early voting runs until Saturday, with final voting on Monday.