Pierre Poilievre urges Albertans not to leave their fellow Canadians behind

Poilievre, who was born and raised in Calgary and now represents a rural Alberta riding, made the pitch ahead of Monday’s vote, in which Albertans will choose either to remain in Canada or begin the process toward a second binding referendum on leaving the country.

He said that in his youth he saw a province where people could get ahead, and that he understands the frustration of those who feel that promise is slipping away.

“I looked around my neighbourhood at that time and I saw people who were achieving great lives. They worked as electricians, carpenters, plumbers, police officers or in the case of my parents, teachers,” he said. “They were able to earn a great life or own a home and build a future for their kids.”

Poilievre said he understands the frustration many Albertans feel toward a federal government he says is holding back resource development, hurting the provincial economy and making life more expensive, but said leaving is not the answer.

“To those people who are thinking about taking out their frustration on the current government by voting for separation and the referendum, I say this: Canada is more than a government, it’s a people, a flag, a land, a history and a promise.”

He said Albertans are not quitters and that, rather than leave a country they believe is holding them back, they should help pull it forward.

“My message to Albertans is this: Don’t leave your fellow Canadians behind. Lock arms with them, lock arms with Canadians who want to restore the promise of Canada.”

Premier Danielle Smith is also set to speak to the conference later on Friday, but she stood alongside Prime Minister Mark Carney this afternoon at a stop in Red Deer, Alta., where the two leaders made the case for staying in Canada. 

Smith, who long complained about the Trudeau Liberal government, said there is real change from Carney’s government that shouldn’t be discounted. 

“This is now a time, a moment, in Canadian history where we are going to be able to work side by side,” she said. 

While Carney and Smith are aligned on the question of separation, Albertans will also vote Monday on nine other questions, including proposals on immigration and constitutional issues such as changing how judges are appointed and abolishing the federal Senate.

Smith has encouraged people to vote for those changes, but Carney weighed in for the first time Thursday calling for people to vote “no to the nine.” The premier said they can still disagree on some issues, but stressed real progress is being made. 

“This is the point, it’s a conversation. We go, we meet, we find areas where we can agree. We work together,” she said. 

Public opinion polling has consistently shown the majority of Albertans want the province to remain in Canada, but support for separation is higher among Smith’s United Conservative Party supporters, which has strong overlaps with the federal Conservatives. 

The Conservatives have been running their own unity campaign through the Conservatives for Canada group, which has encouraged Albertans to vote to remain.

Elections Alberta requires third-party advertiser groups such as Conservatives for Canada to file regular financial updates. As of Thursday, the group had raised $37,000, placing it 12th among third-party organizations by fundraising.