NDP in Alberta and Saskatchewan join forces to push back on federal private member's bill targeting oil ads

Energy critics within the NDP's provincial affiliates in Alberta and Saskatchewan are pushing back against MP Charlie Angus's private member's bill targeting fossil fuel advertising.

The dispute between provincial and federal New Democrats comes days after two candidates to lead the Alberta NDP expressed openness to loosening the formal ties that bind the party branches.

However, federal party leader Jagmeet Singh said while there may be disagreements on some particular matters, "we're a large party and that's a normal thing that happens."

On Monday, MLAs Nagwan Al-Guneid of Alberta and Aleana Young of Saskatchewan released a joint statement stating their disapproval with Angus's bill.

"It is not helpful to pick fights that just polarize people and get in the way of the real solutions we need," the Opposition energy critics stated.

"Energy companies are important job creators in Alberta and Saskatchewan and shouldn't be singled out by advertising restrictions.

We already have legislation around false advertising, and we are more interested in advancing ideas that can actually help people."

WATCH | Last week, NDP MP Charlie Angus compared big oil to big tobacco:

Angus's bill, tabled last week in the House of Commons, seeks to crack down on fossil-fuel advertising, much like cigarette ads were restricted in the 1990s. In a statement provided to CBC News on Monday, Angus said the legislation was focused on corporate accountability.

"I have always worked well with our provincial cousins. As New Democrats, we are always debating about how to make life better for Canadians," Angus wrote.

"I have spent much of the last number of years fighting for a fair deal for energy workers and ensuring that tradespeople are able to make the full benefit of the immense global energy transition that is underway. Our team knows that sustainability and good jobs go hand in hand."

Last week, the office of Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault told CBC News the federal government welcomed the NDP's bill to the House but didn't go so far as to endorse it.

Private member's bills face significant challenges prior to being adopted. In recent days, conservative parties pushed Alberta NDP leadership candidates to stake out positions on the matter.

The constitution of Alberta's NDP stipulates that anyone who buys a membership for the provincial party automatically becomes a member of the federal NDP. That's unique to the NDP, whereas the Liberals and Conservative parties are not legally connected provincially and federally.