Poilievre says Conservatives want national unity in face of separation threats

Tories want unity: Poilievre

Photo: The Canadian Press

Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre speaks in the Foyer of the House of Commons in Ottawa, Tuesday, Feb.17, 2026. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre says his party will fight for a united Canada as a movement in Alberta pushes for that province to separate.

Answering a question from a reporter today, Poilievre said the Conservatives are "entirely a federalist caucus" and that he has not had a single member of Parliament on his team express they are in favour of Alberta separatism.

The group Stay Free Alberta is seeking a referendum vote for the province to become its own country, and has until May to get nearly 178,000 signatures.

Provinces cannot unilaterally separate from the country and if a referendum was to succeed, it would trigger negotiations between the province, the federal government and First Nations groups, among others.

Poilievre says he is both a proud federalist and a "born and bred Albertan."

During a speech at the Conservative convention in January, Poilievre blamed Liberal policies for separatist movements, arguing Ottawa has been stomping on Alberta's energy sector and Quebec's jurisdiction.