"Vote like Canada depends on it," he told a crowd of roughly 5,000 people. "Because it does."

Carney spoke at a Forever Canadian rally ahead of Monday's referendum on whether the province should stay in Confederation or hold a second, binding referendum on splitting from Canada.

Many in the cheering crowd wore red and white, hoisted hockey sticks with Canadian flags and sported Team Canada jerseys. 

"The stakes are high," said Carney, adding the referendum comes at the worst possible time.

The world has become more dangerous and divided, he said, and some outside Canada's borders are working to "break us so they can own us."

"At this pivotal moment, Albertans have a choice: to build a stronger Alberta and an even greater Canada to leave for our children or we can burden them with years of deep division and great uncertainty," he said.

"What we need is a decisive result on Monday to settle this question."

During a break in Carney's speech, as security attended to someone in the audience needing aid, the crowd broke into chants of "Car-ney! Car-ney!" and "Ca-na-da! Ca-na-da!"

The Forever Canadian campaign, launched by former Alberta deputy premier Thomas Lukaszuk, seeks to encourage Albertans to vote to stay in Canada.

Carney said frustrations in Alberta are real but that Canada is working in a spirit of co-operative federalism. A vote against Canada is a dangerous bluff that could lead to years of lost opportunities, he said.

"Don’t let anyone tell you this is already decided," he said. "Turnout will determine the outcome."

Rowena Ferrer, who grabbed a pro-Canada sign as she left the event, said she experienced Quebec's 1995 referendum when she lived in Montreal.

It's frustrating to relive it, she said.

"It's so important to have unity and, just as back in 1995, it's really important to support Canada coast to coast," she said.

She said she recognizes Albertans' vexation with Ottawa and believes Carney is addressing those issues.

Suzanne Lint and Val Nemeth, who attended the rally in red shirts emblazoned with the maple leaf, said the resounding theme was the idea of the country being a team. 

"Whether it's football or whether it's working as provinces or citizens together, it's proven how much we've helped each other in hardship," said Nemeth.

Carney is scheduled to attend another Forever Canadian rally in Edmonton on Friday, as well as meet with business leaders alongside Premier Danielle Smith in Red Deer.

Federal Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre is set to deliver his own speech supporting Canadian unity Friday during a Canada Strong and Free Network conference in Calgary. Smith is also to address the event.

Earlier Thursday, Carney was swamped by selfie-seeking well-wishers as he made several stops in Calgary.

At one event, he urged Albertans to not only vote for Confederation but also reject the nine other questions on the referendum ballot involving immigration and the Constitution.

"It's time for us to come together, stand up for ourselves and take care of each other," Carney told those gathered at a park.

"(Say) no to the nine,” he added to cheers, including from two of his Alberta Liberal members of Parliament, Eleanor Olszewski and Corey Hogan.

Smith has kept a comparatively low profile in the last week. She posted a video announcing she cast an advance ballot to stay in Canada and urged Albertans to vote yes to the other nine questions. 

She has said she needs a yes to those nine to send a message to Ottawa that provinces need more autonomy and respect.

The nine questions focus on giving Alberta more power over immigration while also erecting restrictions, and perhaps fees, for some newcomers and temporary workers who want to access health care, education and other social services.

Smith has said immigration costs are prohibitively expensive, but critics have called her questions an anti-immigrant dog whistle. 

The questions also ask Albertans to give their blessing for the government to work with other provinces to change the Constitution in order to wrest power from Ottawa and abolish the Senate.

Smith responded to Carney’s comment on the other nine questions, saying they found common ground on many things over the last 18 months.

“However, it appears that he has yet to fully understand just how damaging the open border policies of his predecessor were,” she said in a social media post.

“Those policies caused Canada’s cost of living to skyrocket, overwhelmed our social services, and made homes and jobs unattainable for thousands of young Canadians.”

She said that’s why she wants a strong mandate from the nine questions to take more provincial control over immigration, give Albertans first priority for jobs and ensure social services are sustainable.

Smith's government committed $4 million to an advertising campaign pushing voters to support the nine, as well as a "strong and sovereign Alberta within a united Canada."

The Prime Minister's Office said it's spending about $250,000 on its "O Canada" ad campaign.

At the same time Carney was scheduled to attend the Calgary rally, Smith was to headline a $500-a-plate United Conservative Party fundraiser also in Calgary.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 15, 2026.

— With files from Jack Farrell and Lisa Johnson in Edmonton, and Catherine Morrison in Ottawa

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