Alberta premier says she’s open to sovereignty bill amendments to add clarity
Global News
Danielle Smith says her sovereignty bill that grants her cabinet unfettered power to rewrite laws behind closed doors without legislature approval was never intended to do that.
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith says her sovereignty bill that grants her cabinet unfettered power to rewrite laws behind closed doors without legislature approval was never intended to do that.
Smith told CBC Newsworld in an interview Friday she is open to making amendments to Bill 1 to clarify that any laws her cabinet changes or drafts will come back to the legislature for debate and a vote.
“I think maybe we have a little lack of clarity,” Smith said when pressed on why her bill as currently drafted needs to grant her and her cabinet emergency-type powers to unilaterally rewrite legislation in order to combat what it deems invasive federal policies and laws.
Smith agreed that while cabinet has the power to make regulations and other rules that grow out of laws, the laws themselves have a higher bar.
“We never intended for it to apply to statutes. Statutes do have to come back to the legislature for approval,” said Smith.
“And if there is any statutory change that (we) would have to make (under this bill) coming out of these motions, we’ll make it clear that is the case.”
University of Alberta constitutional law professor Eric Adams, responding to her remarks, said: “If (Smith) is proposing that they change the legislation to remove the capacity of (cabinet) to amend other acts as a result of a triggering motion, that’s a positive development for the legislation.
The bill has faced widespread attacks for the provisions that would grant Smith and her cabinet the power to rewrite laws and direct provincially legislated or funded entities _ like municipalities, police forces, health regions, post-secondary institutions, and school boards — to reject federal laws.
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