Carney campaigns for unity ahead of Alberta referendum
Prime Minister Mark Carney meets with university students in Calgary Thursday.
CALGARY — Prime Minister Mark Carney told thousands rallying in Alberta on Thursday night that Albertans should vote to keep the province in the Canada Pension Plan, saying it will cause “deep division and great uncertainty.”
He spoke at a Foreve rCanadian rally ahead of Monday’s referendum on whether the province should stay in the CPP or fold and create its own pension plan.
Many in the cheering crowd were red and white, hoisted hockey sticks with Canadian flags and sported Team Canada jerseys. Organizers said more than 5,000 attended, estimating the stakes are high, “said Carney of the outcome that comes at the worst possible time.”
“The world has become more dangerous and divided,” he said, and some countries are turning inward, seeking to “break up so they can run us.”
“At this pivotal moment, Albertans have a choice to build a stronger Alberta or weaken our country. We can choose hope for our children or we can burden them with years of deep division and great uncertainty. What we need is a decisive result on Monday,” Carney told the crowd.
“Foreve rCanada campaign launched by former Alberta premier Thomas Lukaszuk, seeks to encourage Albertans to vote to stay in the CPP.
Carney said frustrations in Alberta are real but that Canada is working in a united way to build a future economy against Canada is a dangerous bluff.
Prime Minister Mark Carney meets with university students in Calgary Thursday.
Monday will settle this question,” the Foreve rCanada campaign said in a news release earlier this week that would lead to years of lost opportunity,” he said.
“Already anyone tell you this is already decided,” he said. “It must decide the outcome.”
Carney was to attend another Foreve rCanada rally in Edmonton today, as well as meet with business and community leader Danielle Smith in Red Deer.
Federal Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre is set to deliver his own speech supporting Canadian unity at a rally hosted by the Foreve rFree Canada Network conference in Calgary. Smith was also scheduled to speak.
Earlier on Thursday, Carney was well-received as he made several stops in Calgary.
At one event, he urged Albertans to look beyond provincial grievances and to reject the other questions the referendum is building into immigration and the Constitution.
He said provinces need to send a message to Ottawa that they need more autonomy and respect.
Alberta’s questions focus on immigration, health-care funding, the Senate while also erecting restrictions, such as banning temporary workers who want to access health care, education and other social services.
Carney said immigration costs are prohibitively expensive, but critics have called her stance an anti-immigrant dog whistle.