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Ex-political rivals Rachel Notley and Jason Kenney made their pitch to have Alberta stay part of Canada in a hushed room filled with dozens of members of Edmonton’s business community.\u00a0<\/p>\n
After years of political sparring, the former Alberta premiers are now working together as co-chairs of a campaign called Alberta and Canada: Stronger Together and spoke at a forum hosted by the Edmonton Chamber of Commerce on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
Notley served as Alberta\u2019s NDP premier from 2015 to 2019 until the United Conservative Party (UCP) formed government and Kenney emerged as premier. He held that position until stepping down in 2022.<\/p>\n
The forum saw Notley, Kenney and chamber president Doug Griffiths talk about the implications of the results of the Oct. 19 referendum, which asks 10 questions, including one on whether Alberta should remain part of Canada or if the province should pursue a binding referendum on independence.<\/p>\n
Kenney spoke about the impact the referendum could have on the province\u2019s economy, businesses and long-term prosperity.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
He said he believes allowing a binding referendum on independence to come to fruition would be disastrous.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThe next year, moving towards an actual vote on separation when the first one is won, the economic consequences would be catastrophic,\u201d Kenney said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cStability is the most important thing that businesses look for,\u201d Griffiths said on the topic of separation.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis conversation is destabilizing.\u201d<\/p>\n
Recent polling has suggested more than half of Albertans surveyed who say they would vote for the UCP are in favour of holding a binding referendum on independence<\/a>.<\/p>\n Red Deer-South MLA Jason Stephan, a UCP caucus member, has confirmed to CBC News that he has voted in favour of proceeding with a legally binding referendum<\/a> on whether the province should leave Canada.<\/p>\n \u201cI think it’s going to require \u2026 when this is done, a moment where there has to be a reckoning,\u201d Kenney told the crowd on Tuesday, regarding wanting clarity on the future of the UCP and what it stands for.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cEither that [the] party stands for its founding declaration on the commitment to Canada upon which it has received a majority mandate twice, and if it does, these [separatist] people have to be shown the door and told they’re welcome to participate in democracy, but if their primary goal is separation, then they have to do it in a separatist party.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cStrangely, I agree 100 per cent on this,\u201d said Notley, prompting the room to erupt with laughter.<\/p>\n