Alberta's Smith decries 'federal interference' ahead of premiers' meeting
CTV
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith believes she'll have allies in her battle against so-called federal overreach when she attends this week's meeting of provincial and territorial premiers in Winnipeg.
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith believes she'll have allies in her battle against so-called federal overreach when she attends this week's meeting of provincial and territorial premiers in Winnipeg.
Smith made the comments Monday at the annual Premier's Stampede Breakfast in Calgary, where she flipped pancakes for a crowd of hundreds just hours before her scheduled departure for the three-day premiers' conference.
"I'm so delighted to be going to the Council of the Federation this week, because I can tell you the thing that has surprised me the most is that it doesn't matter what political stripe the premiers have, every single one of them is frustrated with federal interference into their business," Smith told reporters.
"I've seen Saskatchewan push back, and I think increasingly you'll see the other provinces push back as well."
Smith is fresh off a private meeting with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who was also in Calgary on Friday to flip pancakes and engage in some Stampede politicking.
After that meeting, Smith released a statement saying the federal government still refuses to bend on its overall greenhouse emissions reduction targets and milestones, as well as its commitment to achieving a net-zero electricity grid by 2035.
Alberta has said Ottawa's targets and time frames are unachievable, and has laid out its own plan for getting the energy-producing province to net-zero by 2050.
