During one of the most consequential referendums in recent Alberta history, all eyes were on the Prime Minister Mark Carney as he landed in Calgary.
“We need a decisive result on Monday to settle this question,” the prime minister said on Thursday night at the Forever Canadian rally, at the BMO Centre.
The rally held tonight was part of a larger effort from the prime minister, as he criss-crossed throughout the city hoping to get out the vote, before Monday’s Referendum.
The prime minister was joined on stage on Thursday evening with the Mayor of Calgary Jeromy Farkas, former deputy premier of Alberta and Forever Canadian organizer Thomas Lukaszuk, President of Calgary Chamber of Commerce Deborah Yedlin, and former UCalgary Chancellor Jon Cornish.
This visit comes as advance voting opened in the province this week.
As reported by the CBC, Carney also encouraged voters to “say no the nine” a refrain that has become quite popular during this referendum for those advocating against the other nine questions posed during this referendum.
However, notably the prime minister did not repeat the refrain at tonight’s rally.
Carney meets with student leadership
Before the rally, one of the many stops the prime minister made today was at the University of Calgary to meet with students.
Carney stopped by the MacEwan Student Centre building (Mac Hall) earlier in the afternoon, where crowds of students flocked to the prime minister.
One student even asked the prime minister to sign his chest, although he ultimately declined.
Student-at-Large Governor and President of the Muslim Students’ Association Aitazaz Shah spoke with the prime minister about rising anti-immigration sentiment in the province.
“We will count on the federal government to step up to stand up for everyone’s students rights,” said the prime minister to governor Shah.
The prime Prime minister also spoke with members of the Students’ Union’s executive team as they tabled in Mac Hall to encourage students to vote in the upcoming referendum.
The prime minister’s visit to campus certainly caused a buzz, and one that will certainly be remembered by a lot of students.
Carney reveals his cards at the BMO
“Some outside our borders are working to break us so they can own us,” said the prime minister at the rally, continuing his refrain about the United States during the enduring trade war with the Trump administration.
“The frustrations felt by Albertans are real,” said the prime minister, while also touting the Major Projects Office that is headquartered in Calgary and the proposed Alberta West Coast Oil Pipeline.
Carney also warned that such a pipeline could reduce American dependence, which was met by a roar from rally-goers, paired with a light-hearted jab at U.S. Ambassador Pete Hoekstra for his recent comments about “monitoring” for election interference in the upcoming U.S. midterms.
However, Carney warned rally-goers and Albertans about voting against Canada, calling a vote against Canada “a dangerous bluff” invoking a poker metaphor.
The prime minister is expected at similar events in Edmonton tomorrow, continuing his campaign blitz in Alberta.
With files from Hannah Caparino.
