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<p>Canada’s prime minister warned that a October referendum in Alberta on potential secession could be a dangerous bluff, drawing on his experience with Brexit to caution against assuming concessions would follow a vote to leave the country.</p>
<p>The former central bank governor of the United Kingdom, who led Canada as prime minister, noted that the Western oil-rich province could vote to separate after its premier announced the referendum, scheduled for October 19.</p>
<p>The plebiscite would ask Albertans to decide whether to remain in Canada or trigger a binding referendum on secession, a move that has drawn criticism from both pro- and anti-secession camps over the process and wording.</p>
<p>Analysts and activists have debated whether the vote reflects true demand for independence or is a political tactic, while others argue it could destabilize national unity and Newfoundland-style economic concerns face the province due to oil and gas regulations and fiscal dynamics.</p>
<p>Polls released recently indicate 25 to 35 percent of Albertans might support secession, a level higher than in previous years but still uncertain in terms of majority support.</p>
<p>The involvement of the province’s premier in promoting the referendum marks a complex dynamic, with her stated goal of honoring democratic rights while facing criticism over the referendum’s timing and phrasing.</p>
<p>The premier previously pursued closer oil-industry alignment and support for pipelines to export Albertan oil, but she has also signaled personal preference for remaining in Canada and plans to advocate accordingly, even as legal steps moved forward to permit the vote.</p>
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