On the eve of next week’s referendum, Canada’s prime minister delivered an olive branch to Albertans surrounding the thorny issue of energy development.

But how did it land in Alberta’s business community?

Varcoe: Alberta business leaders welcome PM's shift from past energy policies that 'began to divide us' Back to video

“He was acknowledging this very short-sighted ideological policy and regulation that had been put in under the Trudeau era that further divided us,” said Business Council of Alberta president Adam Legge, who attended Prime Minister Mark Carney’s speech on Thursday at a local rally organized by Forever Canadian.

“And then he pivoted to focus on, frankly, there’s a new sheriff in town . . . There may not have been a ton of oil and gas people there, but I can tell you that the message resonated well beyond the walls of the BMO Centre.”

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Albertans are set to vote in a provincewide referendum on Monday and hundreds of thousands have already lined up at advance polls or sent in mail-in ballots.

With the prime minister speaking in the province this week, much of the focus has naturally centred on the last of the 10 referendum questions: Should Alberta remain in Canada or conduct a legally binding vote in the future on separation?

At the Thursday........

© Calgary Herald