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Prime Minister Mark Carney met with volunteers from the Forever Canadian campaign in Banff, Alberta, on Friday, offering a visible show of support for the movement working to keep Alberta within Canada. The meeting took place at the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity on the final day of the federal cabinet retreat.
Thomas Lukaszuk, a former deputy premier of Alberta and head of the Forever Canadian group, praised Carney’s approach. He described the prime minister as a “calm” and “reassuring” presence for Albertans. Lukaszuk said Carney’s firm stance in trade negotiations with the White House shows “there is someone at the helm.”
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Carney Greets Supporters in Banff
About 50 Forever Canadian supporters cheered Carney during the visit. Most held red and white signs, and some wore the maple leaf. Carney signed the campaign’s bright pink recreational vehicle with the words “Canada is everyone and for everyone.” The crowd then broke into a rendition of O Canada.
Carney did not take questions from reporters on Friday. However, on Thursday, he encouraged Albertans to participate in the upcoming referendum. “Canada is worth fighting for, and fighting for in this regard means showing up on the 19th or mailing in your ballot or participating in early voting,” he told reporters.
Alberta is set to hold a referendum on October 19 on whether to proceed with a second vote on leaving Canada. Carney has called for national unity but has not actively campaigned on the issue. On Thursday, he said he sees his role primarily as delivering on his economic agenda for both Alberta and Canada to advance cooperative federalism.
Lukaszuk Calls for Broader Political Engagement
Lukaszuk said he expects Carney to become “much more personally engaged” at a later stage of the campaign. He also called on federal Conservatives to get more involved. He directed pointed remarks at Official Opposition Leader Pierre Poilievre.
“The leader of the Official Opposition, Mr. Pierre Poilievre, says that his MPs from Alberta are behind us. You know, I keep looking in the rear-view mirror of this RV. I don’t see them,” Lukaszuk said. He added that the referendum is “not a partisan issue” and that “all hands are on deck.”
Federal Ministers Avoid Directing Albertans How to Vote
While the federal cabinet held its retreat in Alberta and met with several of the province’s mayors, ministers stopped short of announcing plans to formally join the remain campaign. At a closing news conference on Friday, Emergency Management Minister Eleanor Olszewski addressed the government’s role directly.
“Our role with respect to this referendum certainly is not to tell Albertans how to do anything. It’s not to tell Albertans how to vote,” she said. Instead, she framed the federal role as being a strong partner and collaborating on projects to build a unified country.
Olszewski also said the government’s actions “speak a lot more loudly than if we just stand at a microphone and say some platitudes about Alberta.” She confirmed that her colleagues are “absolutely” urging Albertans to vote to remain. “We’re showing Albertans that Canada works,” she said.
Calgary Mayor Credits Federal Presence in Alberta
Calgary Mayor Jeromy Farkas praised Carney and his cabinet on Thursday for their approach to the separation debate. He said the federal government avoided a transactional tone that could have alienated Albertans.
“If they had just diminished this to transactions, if they had asked Albertans, ‘Well, what’s it going to take to keep you?’ then I think Albertans are smart. We would have been able to see through that,” Farkas told reporters.
Furthermore, Farkas noted that federal representatives have visited not only major events like Stampede but also rural communities across the province. He said many parts of Alberta had not seen a member of Parliament from outside the province — let alone a Liberal MP — in decades. “They’re showing up to listen, to learn and to be able to support common cause,” he said.
