With an influx of premiers and party leaders flocking to Alberta this week, some analysts believe that the prairie province will see more love from Ottawa as the referendum approaches. “I love Albertans,” said Ontario Premier Doug Ford in Calgary on Monday. “We are always going to stick together. United we stand, divided we fall. We need to be united in this country. We need to stand together.” Ford is promising provincial funding for a 33-kilometre pipeline project uniting Alberta and Ontario. He is among other leaders, such as federal MP Eleanor Olszewski, who are looking to push Alberta projects ahead. “Canada and Alberta are working together to find out what that will take for this particular project,” said the minister responsible for prairies economic development Canada. “Let’s dream big.” Conservative Party leader Pierre Poillievre is slated to speak in Edmonton later on Tuesday, advocating for a “stronger Alberta within a united Canada.” “You are going to see a lot of big-name political leaders from across Canada coming to Alberta over the next three weeks,” said CTV political analyst Scott Reid. “What they are really selling is the idea that Canada works — east to west — and that Alberta is a critical part of that, and it’s all with an eye to referendum.” Political analyst John Brennan said he fully expects Prime Minister Mark Carney to be in Alberta on Thursday to announce the West Coast Pipeline. “The government of Canada is putting on a full-court press to show Albertans that Canada works,” Brennan told CTV News Edmonton. The deadline for a decision on the pipeline is Oct. 1, with referendum day on Oct. 19.
