Prime minister to speak at pro-Confederation rally in Edmonton
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minister → speak → Edmonton
Prime minister set to deliver remarks in support of Canadian unity ahead of referendum
Prime Minister Mark Carney will speak at Edmonton's Expo Centre on Friday night to urge Albertans to vote to stay in Canada in a provincial referendum.
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Carney → set → referendum
Earlier in the day, Carney spoke at a pro-unit event in Red Deer.
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Carney → speak → Deer
Alberta and Canada don't agree on everything, but they're on the same page when it comes to staying in Confederation, Premier Danielle Smith told a crowd in Red Deer Friday.
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Smith → agree → Deer
"We often disagree quite publicly on several things," she said.
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she → disagree → things
"But today we can all agree that on Question 10, we are voting for Option 1 to remain in Canada."
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we → agree → Canada
Albertans are set to get to polls on Monday for a 10-question referendum.
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Albertans → set → referendum
On Question 10, Albertans will choose either Option 1, to remain in Canada, or Option 2, to begin the process to hold a second, binding referendum on separation.
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Albertans → choose → separation
Smith joined Prime Minister Mark Carney at a brewery in Red Deer, as he passed through on his way from Thursday's Forever Canadian rally in Calgary and the one set to take place in Edmonton Friday.
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he → join → Edmonton
"This is now a time, a moment in Canadian history, where we are going to be able to work side by side," Smith said.
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Smith → go → side
"I feel for the first time in a long time, Alberta and Canada are walking together."
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Alberta → feel → time
Carney said Alberta's trust in the federal government has been tested, but their interests are now aligned.
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interests → say → government
"As a country, we are co-operating again," he said.
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he → co → country
"Canada is working again.
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Canada → work → ?
We are coming together.
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We → come → ?
"
Both leaders urged Albertans to vote and listed examples of what their recent co-operation has achieved, including the announcement of the Pacific Link pipeline and agreements on water, housing and defence.
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operation → urge → water
There are more shared wins to come, Smith said, noting the Supreme Court of Canada agreed Thursday to hear an appeal of the federal ban on single-use plastics.
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Court → be → plastics
While Carney and Smith agree on a united Canada, Smith wants Albertans to vote "yes" on nine referendum questions that would give the province more control over immigration and a mandate to pursue constitutional changes to wrest power from Ottawa.
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that → agree → Ottawa
Prime Minister Mark Carney attends a national unity rally in Red Deer alongside Alberta Premier Danielle Smith on Friday, Oct. 16, 2026.
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Carney → attend → Friday
Carney, meanwhile, has urged Albertans to say “no to the nine.”
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Carney → urge → nine
Smith said Friday she will work to change his mind.
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she → say → mind
Near the end of his brief comments, Carney held up a pair of red, knitted mittens, calling them a symbol.
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Carney → hold → them
They were made in Red Deer with a pattern by an Ontario designer and yarn from New Brunswick.
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They → make → Brunswick
He cited the mittens as an example of the “threads that link us as a country.”
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that → cite → country
“What we're facing on Monday is, in part, a reflection of that.”
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facing → face → that
Both leaders called out notable politicians in the crowd, including former Alberta premier Ed Stelmach and former MP Monte Solberg from Stephen Harper's cabinet.
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leaders → call → cabinet
A number of current and former municipal leaders also attended the event, like Calgary Mayor Jeromy Farkas, former Edmonton mayor Amarjeet Sohi, Sylvan Lake Mayor Megan Hanson, Airdrie Mayor Heather Spearman and Red Deer Mayor Cindy Jefferies.
"I don't think Red Deer's seen this kind of attention for some time," Jefferies said.
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Jefferies → attend → time
She added that when she attended a Liberal caucus retreat a month ago, she told federal politicians at the time that she has noticed them paying more attention to Alberta recently and that she doesn't want that to stop when the referendum is over.
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referendum → add → Alberta
Prime Minister Mark Carney is seen at a national unity rally at a brewery in Red Deer, Alta., on Oct. 16, 2026.
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Carney → see → Oct.
Jefferies had co-signed a statement with Edmonton Centre MP Eleanor Olszewski last month calling for Albertans to vote for Option 1 on Question 10.
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Albertans → co → Question
"I hesitated to take a position on it," she told CBC News.
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she → hesitate → News
"But listening to businesses in the community, many of them were having concerns around recruiting and retention of staff because of the uncertainty created in our province with respect to this referendum and the discussion that's going on.
"
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that → listen → referendum
I want stability."
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I → want → stability
While the brewery was filled with people who support Alberta staying in Canada, some people could be seen across the road waving an "Alberta strong" flag and one person told CBC News they support the idea of an independent Alberta.
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they → fill → Alberta
Red Deer resident Kelsie Petersen said she came because she "never had a chance to see a prime minister before."
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she → say → minister
She said she will vote for Option 2 on Question 10 because even though she "wants a better deal for Alberta," she would rather not separate.
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she → say → Alberta
Pro-remain supporters gather outside of Red Hart Brewing in Red Deer, Alta., on Friday, Oct. 16.
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supporters → gather → Friday
Prime Minister Mark Carney and Alberta Premier Danielle Smith spoke inside the brewery, making a pitch for unity before the Alberta referendum on Monday.
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Carney → speak → Monday
Carney is scheduled to speak later Friday at a Forever Canadian rally in Edmonton, while Smith is headed to Calgary to speak at the Canada Strong and Free Network conference.
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Smith → schedule → conference
Earlier Friday, Federal Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre made his pitch for unity at the same conference.
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Poilievre → make → conference
The Aporia
