Carney expects foreign governments, including the U.S., to stay out of Alberta vote

Prime Minister Mark Carney said Thursday that Canada’s expectation for foreign governments, including the United States, to stay out of Alberta’s referendum is “absolutely clear.” Speaking to Global News in Calgary, he said protecting the integrity of elections at every level of government is fundamental. The Oct. 19 vote will decide whether Alberta will hold a vote on separation from Canada.

Carney said Canada does not get involved in other countries’ elections and expects them not to get involved in Canada’s. He urged people to vote and let Albertans’ voices be heard. The question includes whether Albertans want to begin the legal process for a binding referendum on separation.

The issue has dominated Alberta politics for more than a year, amid concerns about foreign actors supporting the separatist cause. Prominent figures in the separatist movement have claimed to have travelled to the U.S. to seek help from the State Department. U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has openly described Alberta as a “natural partner” for the U.S., while Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnik has accused Carney of collapsing trade talks to gain “leverage” over the separatist movement.

Carney said Canada’s national security agencies are actively monitoring potential covert foreign interference in the referendum, but he could not discuss specifics. He said safeguarding the integrity of municipal, provincial and national elections is fundamental and that the agencies are actively monitoring for possible interference. He added that limits imposed by the codes prevent him from saying much, but there is active involvement.

Carney also appealed directly to Albertans to vote against a formal separation referendum. He cited recent federal project announcements in the province, including a new pipeline, Pacific Link, to the B.C. coast. He also pointed to the aftermath of the Brexit referendum, which took place while he was governor of the Bank of England, as an outcome Alberta should want to avoid.

Carney said it was unclear what Brexit meant when people voted. In the following years, while that was being determined, uncertainty was high, investment stopped and the economy began to underperform. He said the economy is now at least 10 per cent lower than it otherwise would have been, with people giving up thousands and thousands of dollars in earnings and the government facing higher taxes and debt.

Instead, Carney said Alberta has an opportunity to “boldly move forward” as a province within Canada. He said the world is opening up to Canada and Alberta should take advantage of that opportunity. The alternative, which he does not recommend, is uncertainty, a slower economy, higher debt and taxes, and missed opportunities.