Prime Minister Carney’s Canada Day Visit and Alberta’s Pipeline Ambitions
Prime Minister Mark Carney is set to make a rare Canada Day appearance in Alberta, just a day before the province is expected to unveil its plans for a new pipeline. This visit comes at a pivotal time for the province, as Albertans prepare for a fall referendum on whether to hold a second vote on leaving the Canadian federation.
Carney made his comments while speaking with reporters in Kuujjuaq, Quebec, on Tuesday. He confirmed that he will be in Alberta on the evening of July 1 and mentioned that he has been in close contact with Premier Danielle Smith. The province has a deadline of July 1 to submit a proposal to the federal government's new major projects office, which could fast-track the approval of a new pipeline project.
Carney noted that the process is "tracking well from their perspective," but emphasized that he will wait until the proposal is officially announced before making further comments. Smith’s office stated that there will be a "major announcement" on July 2 regarding the province's submission to the federal major projects office.
Despite the potential for a new pipeline, many questions remain about its feasibility. A route has yet to be identified, and no private sector proponent has come forward to support the project. Duane Bratt, a political-science professor at Mount Royal University in Calgary, pointed out that Carney's visit is symbolic, especially given the timing just months before the October referendum.
“This is going to be a very different Canada Day we've had in this province than ever before,” Bratt said. “There's been a surge in Canadian flag purchases and people waving Canadian flags. And what's funny about that is, it wasn't that long ago that people were waving the Canadian flag as opponents to the federal government as part of the Ottawa convoy.”
Carney has consistently opposed the push for Alberta to leave the federation, calling the fall vote a “real referendum” and a “dangerous bluff.” He has drawn comparisons to Brexit in the UK, noting that “leave” campaigns often make unrealistic promises and ignore the challenges of separation.
In a video message released by his office, Carney addressed some of the long-standing grievances of the provinces and discussed his departure from former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s climate agenda. He reflected on his teenage years in Edmonton, recalling how Albertans felt when the National Energy Program was introduced, as if their resources were not their own.
“More recently, we were made to feel like our energy contributions were running against the tides of history,” Carney said. “What should have brought us together began to divide us, contributing to a half-century of politics that have too often pulled us apart.”
Carney described Trudeau’s climate plan as “well-intentioned” but “not sustainable over the long term.” He admitted that emissions will increase due to policy decisions made by his government. “It would have let down our partners who need new sources of energy, and do so right at the time when we need them to help us become more independent of the United States. And it would have been too divisive for our country.”
He added, “In the current environment, the old plan was an open opportunity for those people who wish to pull Canada apart, both at home and from abroad.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 30, 2026.
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