Mark Carney, the Prime Minister of Canada, warned the people of Alberta at a Canada-supporting rally in Calgary that the United States is trying to undermine Canada in order to "bring us under its ownership." These remarks were made ahead of a vote to decide whether to initiate the legal process for Alberta's separation from Canada.
Carney's Concerns About Alberta's Separation
Carney said at the rally, "The world has become more dangerous and divided. Some outside our borders are trying to undermine us to bring us under their ownership." He did not directly mention the United States or its President, Donald Trump, but this is not the first time Carney has made such claims.
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His warning comes as Washington and Ottawa are in the midst of a trade war, with Trump threatening to make Canada the fifty-first state of the United States. Meanwhile, Carney has also been trying to reduce Canada's dependence on the U.S., which has upset Trump.
Voting in Alberta and Tensions with the Federal Government
The vote on Monday is not directly related to separation, but the people of this province, which holds the fourth-largest proven oil reserves in the world, must decide whether to remain as a province or instruct their government to initiate the legal process for holding a separation referendum.
Residents of Alberta have long criticized the Liberal governments in Ottawa, including concerns about the management of the oil industry and federal power. Carney, who grew up in Alberta, has tried to address these grievances, but many issues still need to be resolved.
He said, "The grievances that many Albertans have felt are real" and added that Ottawa has made Albertans feel that "our resources are not ours." However, he urged people not to use the vote as a "message" to the federal government.
Carney emphasized, "Don't be fooled by the idea that you can send a message with your vote. This is not poker. A vote against Canada is a dangerous bluff that will lead to years of deep division and uncertainty."
Mitzi Westre, who heads the Alberta Prosperity Project, said that U.S. interests "will not play a role" in Alberta "as long as we succeed and become a government." At that time, she assured that free trade would continue.
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