Deputy Premier Chrystia Freeland said Tuesday that the Liberal government respects Albertans’ choice in Monday’s general election, when her government will still have to deal with a premier who is more often an adversary than an ally.
Mme Freeland, who hails from the province historically known as the nation’s “conservative stronghold,” made a brief comment Tuesday morning, hours after Danielle Smith’s United Conservative Party won against Rachel Notley’s New Democrats.
“Albertans have spoken and we take note,” said Ms.me Freeland on his way to the weekly Liberal cabinet meeting on Tuesday morning in Ottawa.
Mme Smith replaced former federal Conservative cabinet minister Jason Kenney as leader of the United Conservative Party (UCP) and prime minister last fall. Activists had just shown Mr Kenney the door because of the health restrictions he had enacted in Alberta during the pandemic.
The former leader of the Wildrose party won the UCP leadership race in October based on the vote of those disaffected — including protesters who had blocked border crossings and the streets around Parliament Hill during the “ freedom convoy.
Mme Smith frequently takes aim at Prime Minister Justin Trudeau over his energy and hydrocarbon policies, which she says are hurting Alberta’s economy. She thus denounces carbon pricing or the introduction of measures aimed at reducing GHG emissions from the oil and gas industry.
The premier reiterated that message in her victory speech on Monday evening, urging Albertans “to stick together on the policies from Ottawa that will soon be announced” regardless of their vote at the ballot box.
“Keep an open mind”
Federal Natural Resources Minister Jonathan Wilkinson struck an optimistic tone about hoping to find common ground on priorities such as hydrogen development and the extraction of critical minerals.
“Canada works best when Canadians work together,” he told reporters Tuesday. I will approach conversations with Premier Smith and her new Cabinet with an open mind. »
Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault agreed, saying the federal government will continue to work with Alberta as it has done in recent years.
Mr. Trudeau congratulated Mr.me Smith for his win in a statement early Tuesday morning. He wants to continue “working together to get results for Albertans”, create more good jobs for the middle class and “position Alberta as a leader in clean energy”.
Federal Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, who supported Mme Smith in the campaign’s home stretch, wrote on Twitter that Alberta voters had “rejected the NDP-Liberal woke coalition.”
Former federal Conservative Prime Minister Stephen Harper also backed the United Conservative Party during the campaign, with many observers wondering whether moderate Tories would vote for Ms.me Smith, given his controversial comments about health restrictions.
Like federal Conservative leaders before him, Poilievre enjoys overwhelming support in Alberta.
M’s biggest challengeme Smith on Monday was to win seats in Calgary and Edmonton, the two major urban centers. Poilievre faces a similar challenge in Greater Toronto and Metro Vancouver, where he and his frontline MPs have spent many weekends trying to woo a new electorate.