Alberta Sovereignty Act: A step towards independence?
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith will try to convince the provincial assembly of the need for the Sovereignty Act.
Alberta’s new Premier Danielle Smith introduced a bill on Tuesday afternoon to change the province’s laws without having to go through the Legislative Assembly. This law would also protect public bodies covered by the law from legal reprisals in the event of changes.
If passed, this sovereignty law would give the Alberta government powers intended to prevent the application of laws or federal regulations, in particular in relation to laws or regulations deemed unconstitutional or harmful to Alberta, especially with regard to the exploitation and export of natural resources.
“The federal government is actively trying to prevent the export of our resources, to penalize our farmers and energy producers, to suppress the use of fertilizers, to control our health systems, to education and daycare with conditions to grant funding. You cannot change the constitutional relationship without shaking things up, and we are shaking things up,” said Danielle Smith, justifying the need for this law.
The bill will have to be passed by Alberta's elected officials before being presented to the people of the province so that the usefulness of this law can be the subject of public debate.
It remains to be seen whether the debates on Alberta’sovereignty will titillate the thirst for independence in Quebec and Montreal.
