The election of Danielle Smith as the new Premier of Alberta could lead to a whole new confrontation between this province and the federal government, a confrontation regarding the powers and jurisdictions of the various jurisdictions.
Faced with the “sovereignty” project proposed by Mme Smith, requests for repatriation of immigration powers in Quebec pass for small beer. Alberta doesn’t even want to “lower” itself by asking for federal powers, it simply wants to make federal decisions – on energy, for example – void if they don’t comply with provincial laws.
Albertans are angry
It is obvious that the anger of Albertans is greater than ever: they are singled out for the lack of regard they have for the environment and sustainable development, they are put in the way of the development of hydrocarbon development projects, in particular the tar sands, but at the same time, several provinces are happy to receive the checks for this equalization that they fund, a treatment that is most unfair in their eyes, even more so when these moralizing provinces pay for high-cost social programs.
Shunned by the Liberals as if they were outrageous, ignored by the New Democrats as if they were untouchables and long taken for granted by the Conservatives, Albertans no longer feel welcome in Ottawa.
Find the right compromise
The federal war that the new Alberta Premier wants to wage could obviously hurt the whole country, especially if other provinces, such as Quebec, decide to use the same tactics. But the biggest loser in this upcoming battle could be none other than Pierre Poilievre. He will have to find the right position to ensure both the unity of the country and the decentralization of powers. Between the sense of responsibility expected of a potential prime minister and the mobilization of conservative troops for the next election, the task will certainly be difficult.