Carney calls Alberta separation vote ‘a dangerous bluff’ for future negotiations

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[00:00:00]Prime Minister Mark Carney says it is quote a dangerous bluff if an Alberta separation vote is used as a bargaining chip with the federal government. Today, Carney took questions from reporters about his pipeline deal with Alberta Premier Daniel Smith and the province's fall ballot on whether citizens want to hold a referendum on leaving Canada.

[00:00:21]Meanwhile, Smith and other Western premers are currently at a conference that aims to discuss policies including trade and the economy. While in the Ottawa area for a housing announcement today, Prime Minister Mark Carney issued a warning about the threat of Alberta leaving Canada.

[00:00:37]>> In these separation issues, it is often advanced that vote for this and it's a free option. Vote for this and we will strengthen your our hand in future negotiation. That is a very dangerous bluff.

[00:00:51]>> Carney dismissed the notion of leverage in regards to the results of an upcoming question referendum vote in Alberta this fall. He also says his experience as governor with the Bank of England should serve as a lesson about such efforts.

[00:01:04]>> We saw I saw firsthand what happened in the United Kingdom when the view was vote for this it'll be soft and then we'll negotiate etc. And they ended up and they're still 10 years later trying to undo what people didn't think they were voting for but what they ended up having. Last week, Alberta Premier Danielle Smith said her government will pose a question to its citizens on October 19th, asking Albertans if they think the province should remain part of Canada or should begin the legal process for a separation referendum.

[00:01:36]>> She's hoping to satisfy everybody. Looks like she satisfied about nobody last week. Um, I mean, there's room for for this to to be debated and negotiated and all the rest of it, but um, she everybody was angry with her on on Thursday.

[00:01:54]>> New data was released by Angus Reed Institute showing that three in five Albertans would vote to stay in Canada, but it also revealed that many citizens were confused by the Alberta government's posing of the question. uh if people are so confused that they don't engage in the process then you don't get a clear uh reading of of the will of the majority and and of course that's that's a problem.

[00:02:20]>> Meanwhile, Smith is joining other premers in Western Canada at a conference today. A major sitdown after Smith and Carney struck an agreement to begin plans to build a pipeline to the BC coast. Today Carney was asked about Alberta having a $1.2 $2 billion fee to opt out of carbon capturing elements of their deal in the event that a pipeline is completely built and operational.

[00:02:43]>> Uh there are contracts for differences which are struck uh for uh specific projects that would remove projects to be determined uh that are going to renew uh sorry uh remove or have low carbon.

[00:02:59]Also, Carney says his government is reviewing the proposed referendum question to ensure it complies with the nation's Clarity Act, the federal secession law, which passed after the 1995 Quebec referendum.