Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has urged voters in Alberta to be cautious of separatist movements, warning that proposals to break away from Canada represent what he called a “dangerous bluff,” drawing on his experience during the United Kingdom’s Brexit referendum period.
Speaking to reporters on Monday, Carney said referendums on separation are often framed by supporters as low-risk political tools that can be used to strengthen a region’s bargaining position, but he argued such assumptions are misleading and potentially harmful in the long term.
“That is a very dangerous bluff,” Carney said. “I saw firsthand what happened in the United Kingdom when the view was: vote for this, it’ll be soft, and then we’ll negotiate, etcetera. They’re still 10 years later trying to undo what people didn’t think they were voting for, but what they ended up having.”
Carney, who previously served as Governor of the Bank of England from 2013 to 2020, made the comments as political tensions rise in Canada over a proposed referendum in Alberta regarding the province’s future within the country.
Last week, Alberta Premier Danielle Smith announced plans to hold a referendum in October asking voters whether the province should remain in Canada or begin a legal process that could eventually lead to independence. The proposed vote would not directly ask citizens to approve separation, but rather whether Alberta should pursue a future independence vote, a framing critics have described as a “referendum on a referendum.”
Smith’s decision follows a court ruling that blocked an initiative by a separatist group seeking to force a direct referendum. The court found that the provincial government had not fulfilled its legal obligation to consult Indigenous communities regarding any major constitutional change.
The debate has intensified national attention on Alberta’s political direction, particularly given its economic significance as an energy-producing province and its long-standing tensions with federal policies in Ottawa.
When asked whether he had attempted to discourage Smith from proceeding with the referendum, Carney did not directly answer the question but suggested that his advice is not always followed.
“She doesn’t always take my advice,” he said.
He added that he believes the referendum proposal is unhelpful and questioned its legitimacy, noting that it was not included in Smith’s platform during the 2023 provincial election.
“Is it the democratic will of Albertans? Did they vote for this in the last provincial election? No, they didn’t,” Carney said.
Carney also confirmed that the federal government is reviewing the proposed referendum question to ensure it complies with Canadian legal requirements governing separation-related votes.
He said Ottawa intends to actively oppose any move toward separation, while continuing to engage with provincial governments to find “common ground” on issues such as economic development and social policy.
“That’s what Albertans expect. That’s what Canadians expect across the country,” he said.
Carney’s comments come at a sensitive moment in Canadian federal-provincial relations, as debates over resource control, taxation, and regional autonomy continue to shape political discourse in western Canada.
