Carney: Alberta independence push could mirror Brexit turmoil

TORONTO (AP):

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has compared Alberta’s vote on whether to move towards independence to Brexit, calling it a potential “dangerous bluff”.

Danielle Smith, the premier of Canada’s oil-rich province of Alberta, said last week that a vote would be held on October 19 on whether Alberta should remain in Canada or take legal steps under the Constitution to hold a binding referendum on leaving.

Carney drew on his experience with Brexit in his comments. He was governor of the Bank of England in 2016 when Britain voted to leave the European Union, and he helped guide the central bank through the process.

“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, etc.,’ Carney said. “They’re still 10 years later trying to undo what people didn’t think they were voting for, but what they ended up having.”

Smith’s party did not run on, or mention, a referendum in the last provincial election campaign.

Carney said the vote is unhelpful as he seeks to attract investment to Canada, and suggested it is undemocratic.

“Is it the democratic will of Albertans? Did they vote for this in the last provincial election? No, they didn’t. It wasn’t on the ballot paper,” Carney said.

Smith has said she supports Alberta remaining in Canada. Some have compared her stance to that of Britain’s then prime minister, David Cameron, ahead of the Brexit referendum, which he embraced as a way to manage a vocal faction of his ruling party, despite not wanting the UK to leave the European Union.

Carney is working to secure the construction of a new oil pipeline from Alberta to Canada’s Pacific coast. Many Albertans have long complained that Ottawa has not done enough to get the province’s vast oil reserves to Asian markets.

“We have to be very careful about this. There’s a very strong positive case for Canada, a strong Alberta in a united Canada,” Carney said. “I look forward to making that case with many, many other Albertans and Canadians over the course of the next 150 days.”

Responding to Carney’s comments on Monday, Smith said separation is an issue for Albertans alone to decide.

“Albertans’ frustrations have been fuelled by the last 10 years of disastrous policies from Ottawa under … Justin Trudeau,” Smith said in a statement from her office, referencing the previous prime minister.

“I would also remind all Canadians that we should not dismiss the legitimate grievances of Albertans. Instead, we should focus on addressing these issues, restoring hope in Canada, and demonstrating that our country can work and is working.”