Prime Minister Mark Carney on Friday stressed Alberta’s importance to Canada, a day after the oil-rich province announced a non-binding referendum on whether its residents want to remain in the country.
The largely symbolic move could pose a major challenge for Carney, who is pushing for national unity in the face of U.S. tariffs and President Donald Trump’s talk of annexation.
“Canada is the greatest country in the world, but it can be better…we’re working with Alberta on making it better,” Carney told reporters.
“We’re renovating the country as we go. And Alberta being at the center of that is essential,” said Carney, who did not specifically mention the referendum announcement.
Those pushing for separation say they are unhappy with the environmental policies of Carney’s predecessor Justin Trudeau, which they say have undermined the province’s oil and gas industry.
Carney took power in March 2025 and subsequently rolled back several of Trudeau’s green measures.
(Reporting by David Ljunggren Editing by Promit Mukherjee and Deepa Babington)