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Prime Minister Mark Carney speaks about the incident at CFB Wainwright as he rises in the House of Commons in Ottawa, Monday, Oct. 19, 2026. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld

CP NewsAlert: Carney says Alberta’s choice of unity is ‘a great result’ for Canada

Oct 20, 2026 | 7:09 AM

OTTAWA — Prime Minister Mark Carney says it was “a great result for Canada” when Albertans chose unity in a referendum on Monday.

Carney says he spoke to Alberta Premier Danielle Smith about the results this morning.

In the historic referendum, voters chose in overwhelming numbers to remain in the country that made Alberta a province 121 years ago.

In early returns, about three-quarters of Albertans said yes to Confederation, while one-quarter said they wanted the province to hold a second, binding referendum on leaving.

Carney says he and Smith also talked about additional support for people affected by the tragic fire at CFB Wainwright in Alberta before turning to the referendum results.

He told reporters they discussed moving forward in the spirit of co-operative federalism, including on the issue of immigration.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 20, 2026.

— With files from Jack Farrell in Edmonton

Jim Bronskill, The Canadian Press