OTTAWA — Prime Minister Mark Carney says the best place for Alberta to be is in Canada.

His comment comes a day after a judge threw out an Alberta petition calling for a referendum on separation.

The judge ruled the petition shouldn’t have been issued under provincial law and that Premier Danielle Smith’s government neglected its duty to consult First Nations.

Smith called the ruling “anti-democratic” and said the government would appeal.

Carney says referendums are part of any democracy but that rules also need to be followed.

He says that means also following a federal law that gives Ottawa a say on whether any separation question is clearly understood and what should be considered a sufficient majority vote.

“Ultimately, Parliament has a role in making the judgment about the question,” Carney told reporters in Ottawa on Thursday.

“The best place for Alberta is in Canada, and certainly a Canada that works, which is what we’re what we’re pursuing.”

“I think the evidence — well — others will judge.”

Smith is now facing calls to put the separation question on a ballot herself.

She said she needs to discuss the court decision with her United Conservative Party caucus and cabinet members.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 14, 2026.

The Canadian Press