Smith says she'll reveal details next week on threat to invoke sovereignty act
CTV
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith says she will reveal details next week on her threat to invoke her government's sovereignty act over federal clean energy regulations.
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith says she will reveal details next week on her threat to invoke her government's sovereignty act over federal clean energy regulations.
Smith told her provincewide radio call-in show on Saturday that she's "had it" with federal Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault, saying he "doesn't care about the constitution" and noting Ottawa has recently lost two court cases dealing with disputes over federal-provincial jurisdiction.
The Alberta Sovereignty Within a United Canada Act, which Smith's government passed last year, would allow the province to reject federal laws or regulations when the province thinks they cause harm to Alberta. It has not been tested in court.
Last month, Smith laid out conditions under which her government would enact portions of the law.
She told reporters an "aggressive'' cap on oil and gas emissions including methane, a cap on emissions from fertilizer use or a 2035 target for a net-zero electricity grid are all lines in the sand.
Smith told the radio audience Saturday that people will have to wait until Monday to "see the architecture" of how the act will be invoked, but noted Alberta won't put electricity providers at risk of going to jail if they don't meet what she called Ottawa's "unachievable" targets.
"I have to tell you that I didn't want to do this. I really did, from the very first conversation I had with (Prime Minister) Justin Trudeau, I wanted to work with him on this. We put it together the table with the negotiators so we could find areas of common ground," Smith said.
