Drawing Lessons from Brexit, Mark Carney Warns Against Alberta Independence

Canadian Mark Carney compared Alberta's plans to separate from Canada to Brexit today, calling it dangerous and implying that voters may not fully understand the consequences of an independence referendum. According to AFP and Reuters, Carney was the Governor of the Bank of England during the 2016 Brexit vote and led the UK through the complex process of leaving the EU. When asked about the referendum, Carney shared his experience, saying that when the British people voted, they did not understand all the consequences. Carney told reporters in Ottawa, "I saw what happened in the UK at the time. The narrative was: vote for it, it will be a soft landing, and then we will negotiate... Now, 10 years later, they are still trying to clean up the mess." Carney said, "On issues involving national division, proponents often claim that 'there is no cost to this vote, and it will give us stronger leverage in future negotiations.' This is an extremely dangerous bluff." In Alberta, rich in oil resources, separatists claim they have collected over 300,000 signatures, meeting the legal threshold to force a referendum. However, an Alberta judge recently rejected the process, ruling the proposal invalid because separatists did not consult with indigenous groups, whose legal rights could be severely threatened by independence. Polls show that about 30% of Alberta's 5 million population support independence, a record high. However, a recent poll by Angus Reid Group shows that 60% of Albertans choose to remain in Canada, and if a legally binding referendum were held, 67% would vote "no." Separatists are dissatisfied with environmental policies under the previous Trudeau administration, claiming they harmed the oil and gas industry. However, since taking office in March 2025, Carney has withdrawn and relaxed several environmental measures.