PHOTO JEFF MCINTOSH, THE CANADIAN PRESS
Danielle Smith, the new leader of the United Conservative Party of Alberta, and Premier of Alberta
Alberta has a new Premier since Thursday: Danielle Smith.
Posted at 9:00 a.m.
She comes from the more radical fringe of the United Conservative Party of Alberta, is far right economically and passes off her predecessor Jason Kenney as a centrist. But this is the internal affairs of Albertans.
Where it concerns Quebec more is that Danielle Smith campaigned on “Alberta sovereignty”.
She does not want Alberta to become a country. She wants federal laws, court decisions and regulatory decisions that Alberta doesn’t like…not to apply in the province. She promised to pass a law to give this power to MLAs.
The idea may be very popular with the activists who elected her. But such a law is unconstitutional because it undermines the principles of federalism, the separation of powers and the powers of the courts, argue 99% of the experts.
We have a love-hate relationship with Alberta. Environmentally and fiscally, we don’t see the world the same way. But in terms of federalism, Quebec and Alberta have always been great defenders of provincial autonomy. For a decade, the two provinces have fought together against the creation of a national securities commission.
Quebec needs a determined but responsible ally in matters of provincial autonomy. Since Thursday, our ally has radicalized considerably. That will not help the provinces that want to negotiate responsibly with Ottawa.