Alberta premier touts sovereignty act's economic benefits, talks potential uses
Alberta’s premier is doubling down on claims her sovereignty act will boost the province’s fortunes – and she already knows how she might use the bill.
Speaking with CTV News Power Play on Friday, Danielle Smith said her flagship bill could be aimed at a couple of emissions-related decisions out of Ottawa.
“The federal government has two initiatives they’ve talked about that I’m very concerned about that might be the first use of the act if they proceed with it,” Smith said.
“We want to put them on notice.”
Smith says her flagship bill could push the feds to rethink 2030 emissions targets.
She believes those reduction efforts will handcuff Alberta’s energy industry, and says it’s not Ottawa’s place to mandate production cuts.
“This acts as a de facto production cap, and in our view, that would be in violation of the constitution,” the premier said.
“The intention of the bill was to make sure that we were asserting our sovereign jurisdiction.
“Nothing moves unless it’s pushed.”
The second possible use of the act will involve another environmental target: this one on fertilizer use.
The federal government has expressed intents to cut back on the amount of nitrogen emitted by fertilizer, in what was a highly-criticized decision.
Farmers and supply chain experts have been especially outspoken about the move’s potential impact, saying it could hurt the nation’s food security.
Ottawa argues significant progress on climate change is possible without producers completely scaling back fertilizer use, but says reductions are badly needed.
On Tuesday, Smith claimed she doesn’t want to use the act.
Her comments Friday represented quite the pivot.
“(This government is) not defending Alberta interest,” NDP MLA Kathleen Ganley told CTV News.
“If anything, they’re in the way of progress.”
Ganley says she, too, believes the emission caps need a rethink, but that there are better ways to get what Alberta wants.
“The federal government has set up tables to talk about issues like this and the province has refused to sit down.”
COMMERCE CLAIMS
The Premier also pushed back Friday against recent Calgary Chamber of Commerce claims the sovereignty act will hurt Alberta investment.
“The only thing that is creating business uncertainty right now is federal intrusion,” Smith said, before claiming multiple business owners have told her they’re actually on board with the bill.
It’s expected the act could be put into action by the spring.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
DEVELOPING Man sets self on fire outside New York court where Trump trial underway
A man set himself on fire on Friday outside the New York courthouse where Donald Trump's historic hush-money trial was taking place as jury selection wrapped up, but officials said he did not appear to have been targeting Trump.
BREAKING Sask. father found guilty of withholding daughter to prevent her from getting COVID-19 vaccine
Michael Gordon Jackson, a Saskatchewan man accused of abducting his daughter to prevent her from getting a COVID-19 vaccine, has been found guilty for contravention of a custody order.
She set out to find a husband in a year. Then she matched with a guy on a dating app on the other side of the world
Scottish comedian Samantha Hannah was working on a comedy show about finding a husband when Toby Hunter came into her life. What happened next surprised them both.
Mandisa, Grammy award-winning 'American Idol' alum, dead at 47
Soulful gospel artist Mandisa, a Grammy-winning singer who got her start as a contestant on 'American Idol' in 2006, has died, according to a statement on her verified social media. She was 47.
'It could be catastrophic': Woman says natural supplement contained hidden painkiller drug
A Manitoba woman thought she found a miracle natural supplement, but said a hidden ingredient wreaked havoc on her health.
Young people 'tortured' if stolen vehicle operations fail, Montreal police tell MPs
One day after a Montreal police officer fired gunshots at a suspect in a stolen vehicle, senior officers were telling parliamentarians that organized crime groups are recruiting people as young as 15 in the city to steal cars so that they can be shipped overseas.
The Body Shop Canada explores sale as demand outpaces inventory: court filing
The Body Shop Canada is exploring a sale as it struggles to get its hands on enough inventory to keep up with "robust" sales after announcing it would file for creditor protection and close 33 stores.
Vicious attack on a dog ends with charges for northern Ont. suspect
Police in Sault Ste. Marie charged a 22-year-old man with animal cruelty following an attack on a dog Thursday morning.
On federal budget, Macklem says 'fiscal track has not changed significantly'
Bank of Canada governor Tiff Macklem says Canada's fiscal position has 'not changed significantly' following the release of the federal government's budget.