How the referendum can impact Alberta's iconic tourist destinations

We're here at the park gates, we're in Alberta, but just a few short steps away and we enter national park territory. That's run by Ottawa. And if Alberta did eventually vote to separate, what would happen to a place like Banff? It's a very serious question and it would be one that involves many layers of negotiation moving forward. Whatever changes in governance might happened. The bottom line, Pia, is that this national park must be managed with the highest standards in the world. And those negotiations wouldn't just be between federal and provincial governments. Banff lies on Treaty 7 territory, which covers a large swath of southern Alberta. And next year, that treaty turns 150. We viewed the treaties as a peace treaty. And that agreement was made with the Queen. We didn't sign a treaty with Alberta to give up this land. It's a complex puzzle, and at the intersection of all of this is the town of Banff. The town's mayor has spoken out against separation. She says Banff is not just part of the iconography of both Alberta and Canada, but core to identity, culture, and economy. And as a tourist magnet, it's an economic engine for the province. I think what we're hearing from businesses is a bit of nervousness around business certainty and folks not wanting potential new business to leave the province. So while Banff may be an example of how federal, provincial and municipal governments along with First Nations have worked together for decades, the prospect of potential separation and the actual consequences of how Banff would work are an uphill battle. Pia Chattopadhyay, CBC News, Banff, Alberta.