Danielle Smith's Alberta 'sovereignty' act introduces sweeping new powers to resist Ottawa
Danielle Smith’s Alberta ‘sovereignty’ act introduces sweeping new powers to resist Ottawa
The bill introduced Tuesday would let the cabinet order entities connected to the provincial government to ignore federal rules, but the new Alberta Sovereignty within a United Canada Act been a lightning rod for criticism.
By Kieran Leavitt Staff Reporter
Tue., Nov. 29, 2022
https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2022/11/29/danielle-smiths-alberta-sovereignty-act-introduces-sweeping-new-powers-to-resist-ottawa.html?source=newsletter&utm_source=ts_nl&utm_medium=email&utm_email=C60005D1AADA1B52D32FA3F88D5F9E9F&utm_campaign=bn_156358
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EDMONTON — Alberta Premier Danielle Smith’s government has proposed a bill that would enable her province to deem federal laws unconstitutional, allow it to make unilateral changes to provincial legislation, and direct provincial entities to ignore “harmful” federal policies.
The slate of broad, new asserted powers is part of Alberta Sovereignty within a United Canada Act, introduced Tuesday as the first bill to reach the legislature since Smith took over the governing United Conservative Party from Jason Kenney.
The bill has been a lightning rod for criticism since it was revealed as a cornerstone of Smith’s UCP leadership election platform. Critics and constitutional law experts have called it a step dangerously close to Alberta separatism, but Smith has said the bill would be constitutional and, according to her, strengthen Confederation.
The act doesn’t give the provincial government the power to direct a private business or citizen to do anything, but it does let a minister issue a directive to a provincial entity — like a municipal police force or non-governmental organization — telling it to ignore a federal policy or law.
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