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Former UK prime minister David Cameron told a Calgary energy conference that Alberta's possible separation vote cannot be compared to Brexit, because it concerns the future of a country rather than membership in a trade association. Cameron also discussed the 2014 Scottish independence referendum.
Former United Kingdom prime minister David Cameron said Monday that Alberta's possible separation vote cannot be compared to Brexit, because the two debates concern fundamentally different questions.
Cameron spoke at the Energy Disruptors: UNITE conference in downtown Calgary on Monday morning, Sept. 28, 2026, where he largely avoided talking directly about Alberta's separation debate. He said a prospective Alberta vote on secession is about the future of a country, while the United Kingdom's 2016 referendum was about its membership in a trade association, the European Union.
Cameron Led U.K. Through Brexit Vote
Cameron led the United Kingdom for six years leading up to the 2016 vote to split the country from the European Union. He also spoke about the 2014 proposition for Scotland to become an independent country, calling the idea of a fragmented United Kingdom a tragedy.
However, he also said not calling the Scottish independence referendum would have built resentment and worsened the situation. I was very nervous about it because if you have a referendum, you cannot guarantee what the results are going to be, Cameron said Monday at the conference while speaking about the independence vote in Scotland. Cameron made the comments as Alberta's own debate over a possible separation referendum continues to draw attention, with a vote toward secession expected in October.
The former prime minister's appearance in Calgary was part of the Energy Disruptors: UNITE conference, which brought energy leaders and speakers to the city. Cameron's comparison drew on his experience with two major votes during his time in office: the 2014 Scottish independence referendum and the 2016 Brexit referendum. He said the Scottish vote was necessary even though he was nervous about the outcome, arguing that avoiding a referendum would have allowed resentment to build.
Cameron Suggests Alberta Question Is Different
In the case of Alberta, Cameron suggested the question is different because it involves whether a province should leave a country, not whether a country should leave a trade bloc. The remarks come as Alberta's prospective separation vote, expected in October, remains a subject of debate in the province and across Canada. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 28, 2026.
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CTVToronto:This story was compiled and edited by the HeadTopics newsroom and HT AI from the reports above.
Prairies/BC Social David Cameron Alberta Separation Brexit Scottish Independence Referendum Calgary Energy Conference
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