Prime Minister Mark Carney speaks with CTV’s Tara Nelson at the Calgary Stampede. <\/p>\n
Prime Minister Mark Carney says Canada is \u201cstronger when we\u2019re together\u201d while visiting the Calgary Stampede on its final day, doubling down on comments Alberta\u2019s separatist movement presents a \u201cdangerous game\u201d that could backfire.<\/p>\n
Speaking with CTV News Calgary\u2019s Tara Nelson, Carney said Canada and Alberta both had a lot to lose in the event a future vote on the province\u2019s independence is held. <\/p>\n
\u201cCanada works,\u201d Carney said. \u201cIt can work better and it works better when people are engaged.\u201d<\/p>\n
Carney, who was the governor of the Bank of England when U.K. voters elected to leave the European Union by a razor-thin margin in 2016 in a referendum vote that caused catastrophic economic blowback, said Alberta\u2019s leaving Confederation would only \u201crip up\u201d several free trade agreements Canada benefits from. <\/p>\n
Alberta\u2019s secessionist movement has dominated national attention in recent months. The latest development in that saga is Alberta Premier Danielle Smith\u2019s decision to include a question on whether the province should hold a referendum that asks voters whether Alberta should remain part of Canada. <\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re fighting Canada and building up the country,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy job is to make Alberta stronger, to make Canada stronger. We\u2019re making real progress on that.\u201d<\/p>\n
Part of that fight for Alberta has included the push for a new pipeline.<\/p>\n