Poilievre plans third Alberta unity speech next week ahead of Oct. 19 referendum

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre said Friday he will travel to Alberta next week for his third major keynote speech on Canadian unity, as Albertans prepare to vote on a referendum question about whether the province should begin the legal process toward separation.

Poilievre made the remarks at a news conference in Burlington, Ont., on Friday, responding to a question about Saskatchewan separatism and foreign interference. He did not say where in Alberta he would speak or give a specific date.

"I will be back in Alberta again, I think it's next week, to give another speech, my third major keynote speech, along with additional campaigning on the ground to keep our country united," Poilievre said at the Burlington news conference.

He said outside pressure would not shift Canadians. "No tweet from anyone outside of the country can challenge that," he said, adding that "tweets and memes do not affect Canada."

"Canadians control their own destiny," Poilievre said. "We need to focus our efforts on making sure they can afford groceries, they can afford homes, they can afford a brighter future."

He called on supporters across party lines to back a unity effort. "We encourage all Canadians of all parties to join in uniting all Canadians to make ourselves safe, affordable, and fully independent here at home," he said.

Elections Alberta lists the separation question among 10 issues on the Oct. 19 ballot under Order in Council 160/2026. The question asks whether Alberta should remain a province of Canada or whether the provincial government should begin the constitutional process required to hold a binding separation referendum. Results of the Oct. 19 vote on that question are not to be binding.