Liberal, NDP confidence agreement rejected by Premier Kenney
A confidence agreement between the federal Liberals and New Democrats in Ottawa, which will see the minority Liberal government in alliance with the NDP through 2025, is a gut punch for Alberta premier Jason Kenney.
During question period in the legislature on Tuesday, Kenney claimed that the deal will further destroy efforts of promoting Alberta energy on the global stage.
"We always knew it, the NDP here was in cahoots with Justin Trudeau," said Kenney.
"Now they have made it formal, in a political marriage in Ottawa that will keep Trudeau’s anti-Alberta policies in place for the next three years. I put them on notice. This government will fight to defend our economy."
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and NDP leader Jagmeet Singh made the deal late Monday night.
It will see an NDP campaign promise for a national pharmacare act tabled next year, and allow the Liberal government to pass all confidence motions and budgets, with the support of NDP MP’s.
With a UCP leadership review vote days away, a new poll shows Alberta Premier Jason Kenney stuck around 30 per cent
BALANCING ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENT
But will the impact be as grave as the premier claims?
"Whether it be industry leaders, we're seeing lots of those industry leaders moving in the direction of balancing energy (and) the environment more effectively," said political scientist Lori Williams, at Mount Royal University.
"It could actually generate more investment, rather than less in Alberta."
Both the federal Liberals and NDP are strong advocates of critical climate strategies, against big emitters, including energy companies.
Kenney says Alberta will be left behind until this deal runs out in 2025.
"We will use every tool we can to fight the Trudeau-Singh alliance and their effort to kill pipelines and damage Canada’s largest job creating industry," he said.
The liberals say this move was about stabilizing the Canadian government and its own party.
"Lots of people have been speculating that the 2021 election was the last one that Justin Trudeau would contest as prime minister," said Williams.
"But I don't know. That isn’t certain at this stage. It might depend on who becomes the leader of the opposition."
The federal conservatives have called the new alliance a ‘coalition.’
But political experts say that is not the case, because the NDP will have no members in cabinet.
"Even though the NDP were working with the Liberals informally up until this point, this more or less, assures that the NDP on matters of confidence and money matters will be supporting the Liberal government through 2025," said Williams.
"That means that the accountability that we often associate with minority governments, and the possibility of them, losing a vote of confidence, that prospect will actually be more distant."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
![](https://www.ctvnews.ca/polopoly_fs/1.6976926.1721883767!/httpImage/image.png_gen/derivatives/landscape_800/image.png)
LIVE UPDATES Critical infrastructure 'successfully protected': Jasper park officials
Jasper National Park officials in an update said all critical infrastructure in the townsite has been 'successfully protected, including the hospital, emergency services building, both elementary and junior/senior schools, activity centre and wastewater treatment plant.'
Canadian Olympic Committee removes women's soccer team's head coach over drone scandal
The Canadian Olympic Committee has removed women's national soccer team head coach Bev Priestman over a drone scandal, according to a press release from the organization.
Yukon woman narrowly escapes bear attack, credits hair clip
A woman in Yukon believes her hair clip helped save her during a bear attack.
Prince William's 2023 salary revealed in new report
Newly released financial reports show that William, the Prince of Wales, drew a salary of $42.1 million last fiscal year, his first since inheriting the vast and lucrative Duchy of Cornwall.
'I was just shocked': Jasper lodge owner on seeing property destroyed by wildfire
On Wednesday night, the owner of Maligne Lodge in Jasper, Alta., was shocked to receive a photo of her business engulfed in flames.
Mary-Ellen Turpel-Lafond likely has Indigenous DNA: report
The Law Society of British Columbia says a DNA test shows a former judge and Order of Canada recipient accused of falsely claiming to be Cree "most likely" has Indigenous heritage.
U.S. authorities have arrested 'El Mayo' Zambada, a historic leader of Mexico's Sinaloa cartel
Ismael 'El Mayo' Zambada, a historic leader of Mexico's Sinaloa cartel, and Joaquin Guzman Lopez, a son of another infamous cartel leader, were arrested by U.S. authorities in Texas on Thursday, the U.S. Justice Department said.
P.E.I. and New Brunswick among most overworked provinces in Canada, study finds
A study says Prince Edward Island is the second most overworked province in Canada based on average weekly hours worked, while New Brunswick falls in third.
Alberta premier says a third, perhaps half, of all Jasper buildings destroyed by fire
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith says early reports indicate a third and perhaps up to half of all buildings in the historic Rocky Mountain resort town of Jasper have burned in a wildfire.