On Tuesday, former Alberta premiers Jason Kenney and Rachel Notley joined forces in Edmonton to urge Albertans to vote for staying in Canada in the upcoming provincial referendum scheduled for Oct. 19.
The two, who once clashed in the legislature, co‑chair the "Alberta and Canada: Stronger Together" campaign and spoke at a forum hosted by the Edmonton Chamber of Commerce.
Notley, who led the province as an NDP premier from 2015 to 2019, and Kenney, who served as UCP premier until 2022, addressed the chamber president Doug Griffiths and a business audience about the referendum’s potential impact on the economy and long‑term prosperity.
Kenney warned that a binding vote on independence could bring catastrophic economic consequences, while Griffiths highlighted the destabilising effect of the debate on business confidence.
Polls show that a majority of Albertans favour remaining in Canada, with a September CBC poll reporting 72 % supporting staying while only 23 % backed a legal process for a binding independence referendum.
Both leaders stressed that patriotism outweighs partisan politics, noting that their collaboration signals a shared commitment to protecting Alberta’s future.
Kenney also noted that the separatist movement has evolved from earlier opposition to vaccine mandates and public health measures, now focusing on independence, and that only a small fraction of the population is truly committed to separation.
The forum concluded with a call for voters to focus on Question 10 of the ballot—Alberta’s place in Canada—and to ignore the other nine questions if they are uncertain.
