Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has compared Alberta's upcoming vote on independence to Brexit, warning it could become a 'dangerous bluff' that leads to unintended consequences. Carney, who was governor of the Bank of England during the 2016 Brexit referendum, drew on his experience to caution against the move.
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith announced last week that a vote will be held on October 19 to decide whether the province should take legal steps toward a binding referendum on leaving Canada. Carney noted that Smith's party did not mention a referendum in the last provincial election campaign, questioning the democratic legitimacy of the vote.
'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. He added that the vote is unhelpful when he is trying to attract investment to Canada.
Smith has stated she supports Alberta remaining in Canada, a stance some have compared to that of former British Prime Minister David Cameron ahead of the Brexit vote. Carney is currently working on a new oil pipeline from Alberta to the Pacific coast, a project long sought by Albertans who feel Ottawa has not done enough to help export the province's oil to Asian markets.
Responding to Carney's comments, Smith said separation is an issue for Albertans alone to decide. She cited 'disastrous policies' under former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau as fueling frustrations, and urged Canadians not to dismiss the legitimate grievances of Albertans.
