Warm welcome for Carney in Calgary as Alberta hurtles toward referendum vote

Prime Minister Mark Carney stumped for Canada on a last-ditch tour Thursday, urging supporters to not only vote to stay in Confederation but to also reject nine other Alberta referendum questions put on the ballot by Premier Danielle Smith.

“It’s time for us to come together, stand up for ourselves and take care of each other,” Carney told the cheering crowd at a city park.

Carney and other politicians are converging in the province to rally support for Canada – and to urge pro-Canada voters to make sure to mark their ballots on referendum day Monday.

Earlier Thursday, he was met by supporters at a restaurant in the northeast. He was later given a bouquet of flowers by staff and posed for photos.

Many wore small red and white Canadian flags in their shirt pockets.

“I like the red,” Carney said as he shook hands.

One woman said: “It’s for you.”

“It’s for us. It’s all for Canada,” replied Carney.

Carney, asked about his message for Albertans, said if people are decided than they need to get out and vote.

“Polls don’t vote. People do,” Carney said.

“For those who are undecided, it’s hard to think of a worse time for a referendum or a better time for the province. The world is dangerously divided,” he said.

Premier Smith has put 10 questions on Monday’s referendum, with the key one asking if Alberta should stay in Canada or hold a second, binding vote on quitting the country.

The other nine questions deal with proposals Smith has put forward for immigration and constitutional reform.

Later Thursday, Carney was set to join former Alberta deputy premier Thomas Lukaszuk at a rally for his Forever Canadian group, which has been campaigning to keep the province in Confederation.

On Friday he’ll be at a similar rally in Edmonton.

Smith is scheduled to headline a United Conservative Party fundraiser also in Calgary Thursday night.

She has kept a comparatively low profile in the last week, but will speak Friday in Calgary alongside other Conservative heavyweights, including federal Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre.

Earlier this week, Smith uploaded a video announcing she had voted to stay in Canada while urging Albertans to vote yes to the other nine questions.

Smith says a yes for Canada and a yes vote to the other nine questions gives her the leverage she needs to fight for Alberta within a united Canada.

The other nine questions focus on giving Alberta more power over immigration while also erecting restrictions, and perhaps fees, for some who come here and want to access health care, education and other social services.

Smith says immigration costs are prohibitively expensive but critics call them an anti-immigrant dog whistle.

The other questions ask for Albertans’ blessing for the province to work with other provinces to change the Constitution, wrest power from Ottawa and abolish the Senate.