Canada PM Calls Alberta Independence Vote Dangerous
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has warned about Alberta's push for independence. He called it a "dangerous bluff" and compared it to Brexit.
Carney was governor of the Bank of England during the 2016 Brexit vote. He warned that voters may not fully understand what they are voting for.
Alberta is pursuing independence from Canada through a referendum. A vote on October 19 will ask Albertans whether to start the legal process.
That process could lead to a later binding vote on independence. Alberta NDP Leader Naheed Nenshi also compared the push to Brexit.
Premier Danielle Smith said she personally wants Alberta to stay in Canada. She will campaign for the "remain" side and has promised not to hold a binding independence vote if "remain" wins.
A group called Forever Canadian opposes separation. Their petition has gathered over 400,000 signatures. The pro-independence petition has collected over 300,000 signatures.
Key Terms 4
- Brexit Britain's 2016 vote to leave the European Union
- referendum A public vote where citizens decide on one specific question
- binding vote A vote whose result must legally be acted upon
- Bank of England The central bank that manages the UK's money and economy