Feds 'not going to waste a lot of time' on Alberta sovereignty bill debate: LeBlanc
CTV
Intergovernmental Affairs Minister Dominic LeBlanc says the federal government is taking a wait-and-see approach to whether it may intervene when it comes to Alberta Premier Danielle Smith’s sovereignty act, but that it is not the focus at the moment.
Intergovernmental Affairs Minister Dominic LeBlanc says the federal government is taking a wait-and-see approach to whether it may intervene when it comes to Alberta Premier Danielle Smith’s sovereignty act, but that it is not the focus at the moment.
If adopted, the "Sovereignty within a United Canada Act" would give Smith’s cabinet the power to push back against federal policies and laws it deems “unconstitutional or harmful to Albertans,” such as firearms regulation and natural resources development.
The bill faced harsh criticism this week from constitutional experts, Alberta opposition MLAs, and business groups. Smith has said she is open to amendments to the bill, and is planning some changes to be debated next week.
In an interview with CTV’s Question Period with Joyce Napier airing Sunday, LeBlanc said the federal government is waiting to see what happens in the Alberta legislature instead of “wasting a great deal of time focused on this,” especially as it’s unclear how the bill may be amended before being adopted.
“We can look at legislation that's before the legislature of Alberta, but it has not yet become law,” he said. “And there are a number of elements that are sort of vague and imprecise.”
LeBlanc also said it’s unclear how the Alberta government might use the legislation if and when it passes, and there are several layers of hypotheticals involved, including how the Act may be applied in practice down the line.
“Even once it's adopted, it sort of sits on a shelf until a minister or the government decides to take a step under the legislation, and then there's a further legislative process, so it's far from clear how and where it would be triggered,” he said.
