Danielle Smith believes that the federal government should be -- in Pierre Trudeau's words -- the "headwaiter to the provinces" She claims that:
“The way our country works is that we are a federation of sovereign, independent jurisdictions. They are one of those signatories to the Constitution and the rest of us, as signatories to the Constitution, have a right to exercise our sovereign powers in our own areas of jurisdiction.”
Smith is either ignorant of -- or she is misreading -- Canadian history. Graham Thomson writes:
Smith may have been confusing Canada with the European Union or perhaps the United States of 200 years ago. This is not how Canada works.
In fact, our country was deliberately drawn up with a strong federal government as an inoculation against the kind of division that led to the American Civil War.
But that doesn’t matter to Smith or her supporters who appreciate the freeman-on-the-land vibe when it comes to dealing with the much-hated Justin Trudeau.
Smith has set a trap and she assumes that others will take the bait:
The act is indeed part of a political game, one Smith is trying to play against the rest of Canada through the federal government, and against Alberta’s NDP ahead of the province’s general election May 29.
In a year-end interview, Alberta NDP leader Rachel Notley said she’s afraid Smith’s act could lead to copycat legislation from other populist premiers, harming Alberta and the entire country.
“We are a landlocked province whose economic frame is very much based on exporting out of our province and these guys are completely oblivious to the fact that should Danielle Smith actually be remotely successful with some of the things she claims she’s seeking to achieve through this opportunity, it could easily be used by other provinces. Then we risk further fragmenting our nation, further gumming up big ideas and big efforts to grow.
It will hurt the country.”
Smith's legislation will work its way through the courts. And Albertans will have their say in an election in May of next year. We'll see what happens.
Image: Toronto Star
12 comments:
"It will hurt the country.”
Make no mistake. Imitating MAGA by hurting the country is exactly what these petulant people intend.
I agree, PoV.
Smith is taking aim at two areas where the provinces share jurisdiction with the feds: health and environment. These are the main concerns of her biggest constituents, anti-vaxxers and Big Oil. The courts will rip apart claims that Alberta can ignore legitimate federal laws in these areas, but that will take time. Delay and confusion is the goal when it comes to urgent action on climate change or other public health threats. I hope Albertans see through this charade in May.
Cap
So do I, Cap -- because that's exactly what this is -- a charade.
As I made mention the other day that if they push the "Albrexita" issue too far their land locked ass won't be getting any shoe in from their overlords to the south. They will have some "splainin" to do after this one...
https://www.npr.org/2022/12/10/1142088091/kansas-oil-spill-is-keystone-pipelines-biggest-ever-according-to-federal-data
Lots of folks in Alberta still haven't come to terms with oil's future, zoombats.
@ cap
I did see an interesting comment in another blog. What happen if there is some hold-up in Federal transfer payments? Of course Alberta has the Heritage Fund to fall..... Oh yes, I forgot.
But I am sure any misunderstanding can be worked out in the courts.
Don't believe Smith has much of an intellect. People such as that don't have good ideas or motives for what they do and don't do. They just think its important to have their names in the paper and look like they're doing something, even if its harmful becuase some in their base will agree with what she is doing.
As to leaving Canada, let me help her pack her bags and perhaps she and the Quebec premier can get a room or country some where together.
Once Smith runs of steam and has upset enough Constituional scholors, voters, other politicians some one is going to take a legal bat to her and that will be the end of that. she may maintain she had legal advise on her positionn. She might want to remember if they're not on the Supreme Court it might not matter. Also not all lawyers are that bright. Its why we have law socities who monitor lawyers and some times lawyers are sued by their clients. Some times people just heaar what they want to hear from their lawyers.
What ever Smith is up to, she is not in quebec and not the Premier of quebec. They actually were smarter than her.
Good luck to her. If she leaves Canada, I guess the enviornmentalists in B.C. can turn off the oil pipe lines running through our province, which many object to, If they aren't part of Canada, we don't have to accomodate alberta.
Given the droughts around the world and in North america, perhaps Alberta might want to start being concerned about the waste of water and land with their mining tar.
Alberta doesn't possess the financial wherewithal it used to have jrk. In so many ways, it is living in the past.
Smith forgets that the pipeline passes through B.C, e.a.f. She simply cannot force B.C. to follow her orders. She appears to think she can.
Perhaps someone could explain to Ms Smith just how Berlin fit into the geography of Europe pre unification..
TB
Something tells me that would be news to Ms. Smith, TB.
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