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Prime Minister Mark Carney addressed the nation from a classroom in Alberta on Thanksgiving morning, addressing the non-binding question tied to Alberta\u2019s potential separation from Canada in the upcoming referendum.<\/p>\n
\u201cA week from today, Albertans will have the opportunity to make an important decision about their future,\u201d Carney said as he sat at a desk in his alma mater, St. Francis Xavier High School, in west Edmonton.<\/p>\n
\u201cNow, I have some perspectives on this choice. I grew up in Alberta.\u201d<\/p>\n
Albertans are preparing to go to the polls on Oct. 19 for a 10-question referendum. The final question asks whether Alberta should remain a province of Canada, or hold a second, binding referendum on separating from the country.<\/p>\n
Cross Country Checkup is asking:\u00a0\u00a0What conversations are you having about the Alberta referendum with friends and family? Leave your comment\u00a0here<\/a>\u00a0and we may read it or call you back\u00a0for this Sunday’s show.<\/p>\n \u201cI’m back home a lot these days because we are building big things again in Alberta,\u201d Carney said, referencing the federal government\u2019s housing initiatives, a proposed high-speed rail route from Edmonton to Calgary and the newly proposed pipeline stretching from Alberta\u2019s oilfield to the West Coast.<\/p>\n \u201cWe can’t achieve any of this if we’re divided. You can’t build big things on fault lines.\u201d<\/p>\n Carney continued, referencing recent threats to Canada\u2019s economy and security.<\/p>\n \u201cGenerations of Albertans helped build this country,\u201d he said. \u201cIt’s yours, it’s ours, and it’s worth fighting for.\u201d<\/p>\n Lori Williams, associate professor of policy studies at Calgary’s Mount Royal University, said the prime minister’s statement could boost his popularity in Alberta.<\/p>\n “[Carney] is the most popular politician in the province right now,” Williams said. “That idea of inspiring people about the future of Canada might have some resonance.<\/p>\n “On the other hand, [Premier] Danielle Smith has scrupulously avoided saying too much about the referendum questions.”<\/p>\n CBC News requested comment from Smith’s office on the prime minister’s address.<\/p>\n