To stay the course, Canada’s prime minister says of his approach regarding Alberta separatists’ continued push for a referendum.

Earlier this week, Stay Free Alberta submitted thousands of petition signatures calling for Albertans to be asked whether the province should leave the country.

They claim they’ve collected more than 300,000 signatures.

That’s well over the 178,000 required and well under the million separatist lawyer Jeffrey Rath predicted they’d collect.

Elections Alberta still has to confirm the number.

On Tuesday, Prime Minister Mark Carney was asked about the movement to split as he announced Louise Arbour as the next governor general.

Carney was asked what he and his government intend to do to turn that tide.

“To continue to act as we have from the start,” he said.

“Which is in the spirit of co-operative federalism (and) making the country work—making it work for Albertans, making it work for Indigenous Peoples (and) making it work for all Canadians.”

Carney said there are other things to consider.

“There’s the rule of law. There’s the Clarity Act, which has been opined upon by the Supreme Court,” he said.

“Any referenda in any part of Canada need to be consistent with that.”

“There’s a judicial challenge separately but relatedly by Indigenous Nations in Alberta regarding the question,” he said.

“Those processes have to be followed through.”

Carney was also asked what the governor general’s role is as far as promoting national unity in troubled times.

He said the governor general represents all Canadians.

“And I think, very importantly, represents what’s at the heart of our institutions and the spirit of Canada,” he said.

“That we’re all equal.”

“That the rule of law applies to everyone—the powerful as well as the powerless,” he said.

“That we believe in democracy and the processes.”

Albertans could see the question on separation on a ballot in October.

Meanwhile, an Edmonton judge is expected to rule on a court challenge of the petition launched by a group of First Nations who say it violates treaty rights.