Carney shared a stage with Smith in Red Deer. Poilievre told Albertans not to 'quit' on Canada.

The federalist campaign for Monday's Alberta referendum made its final weekend push on Friday with an unusual sight: Prime Minister Mark Carney and Premier Danielle Smith sharing a stage in Red Deer to pitch a pro-Canada vote together.

Carney, who spent Friday meeting business leaders in Red Deer before an evening Forever Canadian rally in Edmonton, stood alongside Smith and other Alberta politicians to urge voters to reject the separation path, according to Canadian Press video coverage of the event. Smith told the crowd that Alberta and Canada "don't agree on everything" but are on the same page when it comes to staying in Confederation, Global News reported. Carney channelled Charles Dickens, saying the referendum arrives at "the best and worst of times."

Hours earlier in Calgary, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre delivered his own unity pitch at the Canada Strong and Free Network conference, urging Albertans not to "quit" on Canada ahead of the Oct. 19 vote. Poilievre said he understands the disillusionment with the state of affairs in the country, but that "quitting is the easy way out and Albertans are not quitters," Global News reported. His keynote was titled "The Canadian Drift: Reclaiming Confidence, Abundance and Freedom for Alberta," and Smith was also scheduled to address the conservative gathering, alongside former premier Jason Kenney in a debate billed as "The Sovereignty Vote and the Path Forward."

The duelling Friday appearances cap a week in which both Carney and Poilievre — Alberta natives on opposite sides of the aisle — campaigned directly for Confederation. On Thursday, Carney drew thousands to a Forever Canadian rally at Calgary's BMO Centre and told Albertans to vote "no to the nine" — rejecting Smith's nine companion questions on immigration and constitutional changes. Smith fired back on social media that Carney "has yet to fully understand just how damaging the open-border policies of his predecessor were." She has said she needs yes votes on the nine to gain leverage for more provincial autonomy, while Carney argues the separation question must be answered decisively.

Whether Monday settles anything is another question. New Abacus Data polling suggests just 14 per cent of Albertans believe the sovereignty debate will be settled for a generation or longer even if the remain side wins, according to CBC's referendum coverage roundup. And McGill University's Media Ecosystem Observatory, which has been tracking online discourse around the vote, has flagged signs of efforts to dispute the results, the roundup reported.

More than 815,000 Albertans had already cast advance ballots by Thursday morning — about 27 per cent of eligible voters, according to Elections Alberta. Advance voting runs through Saturday, Oct. 17.

The ballot's separation-related question — Question 10 — will be counted first on referendum night, with unofficial results expected within 48 hours and official results scheduled for Oct. 29. The vote is not a direct ballot on independence: Albertans will choose between remaining a province and instructing the government to begin the legal process toward a later, binding separation referendum.