Carney says US trying to break Canada amid vote for Alberta independence referendum
Quick Look
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney warned Albertans that external forces, implicitly the United States, seek to break Canada so they can 'own us,' speaking at a pro-Canada rally in Calgary ahead of a provincial vote on whether to initiate a legal process toward a separation referendum, amid ongoing trade tensions and Trump's past remarks about making Canada the 51st US state.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
Alberta has long-held grievances with federal liberal governments over immigration, federal power, and oil industry management. Mark Carney, who grew up in Alberta, has attempted to address these frustrations amid ongoing US-Canada trade tensions and Trump's past comments about making Canada the 51st state.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney warned the people of oil-rich Alberta that the United States was trying to break Canada so it could "own us."
Carney was speaking at a pro-Canada rally in Calgary, ahead of a vote which will decide if the disgruntled western province will begin a legal process towards separation from Canada.
"The world has become more dangerous and divided. Some outside our borders are working to break us so they can own us," he said, without naming the US or its president, Donald Trump.
This is not the first time Carney has made such a claim. His warning comes as Washington and Ottawa are in the middle of a trade war and Trump has threatened to make Canada the 51st US state.
Meanwhile, Carney's push towards making Canada less dependent on the US has irked Trump.
What is is Alberta voting for?
Monday's vote in Alberta is not a direct referendum on independence. Rather, the province, which has the world's fourth-largest proven oil reserves, will vote to decide whether to remain a province or instruct the government to begin the legal process towards a referendum on separation.
Albertans have long held grievances with liberal governments in Ottawa, from concerns about immigration and federal power to oil industry management. While Carney, who grew up in Alberta, has attempted to address frustrations, a lot stands to be resolved.
"The frustrations that many Albertans have felt are real," Carney said, adding that Ottawa had made Albertans feel "like our resources weren't our own."
However, he urged the public there to not use the vote as a "message" to the federal government.
"Don't be fooled by the idea you can 'send a message' with your vote," Carney said. "This is not poker. A vote against Canada is a dangerous bluff that will lead to years of deep division and great uncertainty."
Mitch Sylvestre, who heads the Alberta Prosperity Project, a prominent separatist organization, told AFP that US interests "don't play a role" in Alberta "until we win and become a government." At that point, he would ensure free-flowing trade.
"There is no animosity towards America here," he said, adding that he didn't see a reason to stop trading with the world's largest economy.
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has called Alberta a "natural partner" for the United States, and Alberta Prosperity Project leaders have held several meetings at the State Department.
Edited by: Natalie Muller
What to Watch
AI outlook — possibilities, not facts
If Alberta votes to begin the legal process toward a separation referendum, it will trigger months of constitutional debate and legal challenges.
Likely · Within months
US-Canada trade tensions will continue to escalate regardless of Alberta's vote outcome.
Likely · Within weeks
Open Questions
- What specific legal process would Alberta initiate if the vote passes?
- How would a separation referendum impact Canada's economy and international agreements?
- What are the exact terms of the current US-Canada trade war?
- Will the Alberta Prosperity Project pursue formal independence or greater autonomy within Canada?
