Prime Minister Mark Carney met with supporters of Forever Canada, as well as their leader Thomas Lukaszuk, while he was in Banff for the fall cabinet retreat this Friday.Carney was seen making a special visit to Lukaszuk, who had driven to Banff in his self-styled 'Unity Bus,' which he has driven around the province campaigning for Albertans to vote to stay in Canada ahead of the October 19 referendum.The prime minister embraced Lukaszuk and then pointed out the former deputy premier's Hudson Bay vest to the crowd of cameras..During Carney's stop, he chatted with Lukaszuk as well as his group of a couple dozen supporters, with one young supporter even baking the prime minister's cookies, which he enthusiastically received, saying, "They're mine!"The supporters told Carney about the ongoing Alberta independence issue and the importance to them of Alberta remaining a part of confederation..He ended his brief visit with the Forever Canada supporters by signing the Unity Bus, writing, what appears to be "Canada is everyone and is for everyone," on the side of the bus before signing his name.The interaction comes just a day after Carney was questioned by the media if the federal government would help fund the pro-Canada side of the referendum campaign.Carney was blunt with his answer, giving an affirmative "no" to the question, but evidently the prime minister still wanted to make it clear which side of the argument he finds himself on.At the same press conference yesterday, he encouraged Albertans, "whatever opinion" they may have on the question of independence, to get out and vote in the October 19 referendum.
