Alberta's referendum and Wainwright shape The National's week
CBC's coverage moves from Carney and Smith's unity rally to emergency response and mourning after four soldiers die.
CBC News: The National
Story of Why this story? The channel's weekly summary: what went up this week, what is drawing views now, and where the channel stands among similar channels.
CBC News: The National | Carney, Smith team up to sell Albertans on Canada
Mark Carney's appeal in Edmonton was about more than the mechanics of a referendum. "Canada is not a transaction between provinces. It's about taking care of each other," he said in The National's October 16 broadcast, anchored by Paul Hunter.
That edition, featuring Carney and Alberta Premier Danielle Smith campaigning against separation, was the channel's most-watched upload of the week, reaching roughly 203,000 views. Its Alberta reporting went beyond the rally: First Nations leaders questioned last-minute polling changes in Fort Chipewyan, while Janet French examined community efforts to get voters to the polls.
The week's coverage then took a somber turn. A fire during military training at CFB Wainwright killed four soldiers and injured dozens more. The October 18 full broadcast and a separate report on the fire are now drawing the most daily views among the channel's uploads. A military briefing, in which Maj.-Gen. Wade Rutland described a grass fire and unusually strong winds and announced an investigation, also carries substantial momentum.
Across its 15 uploads, The National added about 7.5 million views over seven days, while its subscriber count was unchanged. The current daily viewing pace is below its usual level, despite the attention to these developing Alberta stories.
Among nearby broadcasters, ITV News added subscribers and is drawing above-usual daily views; CBS Evening News is also above its normal daily pace. For The National, the strongest immediate attention remains on Wainwright, with both the full bulletin and the standalone reporting finding audiences.
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The videos drawing views on CBC News: The National right now
CBC News: The National | Alberta military base tragedy181,906 views · 2026-10-19
Deadly fire tears through Canadian military training exercise153,660 views · 2026-10-19
Carney speaks about deadly fire at CFB Wainwright111,528 views · 2026-10-18
Military says grass fire ignited during CFB Wainwright training exerc…92,365 views · 2026-10-18
Premier Smith praises CFB Wainwright fire emergency response69,894 views · 2026-10-18
- Channel
- CBC News: The National
- Subscribers
- 2,200,000
- Channel views, last 7 days
- 7,475,593
- Videos published this week
- 15
- Video published
- October 17, 2026
- Video views so far
- 202,524
- Views on its first day
- 167,349
The numbers
Here is how The National's uploads and audience moved over the past week.
