Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre delivered a stirring speech on national unity at the historic Royal Canadian Legion in downtown Calgary on Monday, June 8, 2026. Addressing a standing-room-only crowd, Poilievre emphasized that Alberta does not need to become a separate country but rather requires different federal policies from Ottawa. He argued that most Albertans desire policy changes and had hoped he would become prime minister to achieve them. With Alberta separatism now dominating headlines, Poilievre spoke directly to the concerns of the province.
Post-Speech Interview
After the speech, Poilievre sat for an exclusive interview with Rick Bell, a former Calgary Sun columnist. Bell posed a pressing question: when will Prime Minister Mark Carney make his own speech to Albertans? Carney, who frequently references his Edmonton upbringing, has yet to address the province directly. Poilievre responded with characteristic bluntness.
Poilievre's Challenge to Carney
“He should have been here a long time ago to denounce his own personal policies that the Trudeau government implemented on his advice,” Poilievre said. He accused Carney of founding a banking alliance to defund oil and gas, advocating to keep half of Canada's resources in the ground, and advising against the Northern Gateway pipeline. Poilievre also pointed to Carney's support for carbon taxes and criticized his record on economic issues.
“He’s got to come to Alberta and denounce everything he and his party have done for the last decade. He has been wrong about every major economic issue of the last decade,” Poilievre added. “If he had the humility to show up and say, ‘Hey, I, Mark Carney, was wrong,’ I think a lot of people would appreciate that kind of candor.”
Doubts About Carney's Change
When asked if he expects such honesty, Poilievre expressed skepticism. “I don’t know what to expect. He doesn’t give me advance notice of what he’s doing. It would be good for him, though.” Pressed on whether Carney has changed, Poilievre chuckled, suggesting that Carney's approach is all illusion and rhetoric. “I think he should get on a plane and come out here and make a speech to talk about how the federal government will need to reverse all of its policies on oil and gas, law and order, firearms, and most other subjects. That would go a long way to healing the wounds the Liberals caused.”
Poilievre's interview underscored the deep divisions between Ottawa and Alberta, with the Conservative leader calling for a fundamental shift in federal policy to restore unity.
