Canada’s debate over Alberta separatism intensified after Prime Minister Mark Carney warned that efforts to leave Canada could have long-term consequences similar to Brexit in the UK.
Speaking in Ottawa, Carney, who served as Governor of the Bank of England during the 2016 Brexit referendum, said some voters later regretted the outcome after underestimating its impact.
“I saw first-hand what happened in the United Kingdom when the view was, vote for this, it’ll be soft, and then we’ll negotiate,” Carney said in Ottawa on Monday (25 May).
“They’re still 10 years later trying to undo what people didn’t think they were voting for but what they ended up having,” he added.
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith recently announced plans for a public vote on 19 October on whether to pursue a referendum on provincial separation.
Key developments:
- Support for Alberta separation is estimated at around 30 per cent.
- Smith says she supports a “united Canada” despite easing referendum rules.
- Federal Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre said his party would campaign against separation.
- A court recently ruled an earlier independence petition unconstitutional over consultation concerns involving First Nations communities.
The debate comes amid Canada-US trade tensions and ongoing discussions around Alberta’s energy sector and pipeline development.
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