As she advocated for stronger economic ties between the two provinces, Alberta Premier Danielle Smith stated on Monday that her province and Quebec share a desire to resist excessive federal intervention. Smith stated that Alberta and Quebec are dissatisfied with a federal government that wants to “impose its will” on provinces prior to giving a speech in Montreal to a business group. She stated, “We have exclusive areas of provincial jurisdiction, we have to get back to operating the country as it was intended.” “The federal government does not respect ours; the provinces respect the federal areas of jurisdiction.” Smith used Ottawa’s decision as an example to ask the Supreme Court to limit how Quebec and other provinces can use the notwithstanding clause of the Constitution. Smith says she supports Quebec’s pre-emptive use of that clause in its secularism law to shield the legislation from some Charter challenges.Smith plans to invoke the clause in amending three laws that affect transgender people, according to a leaked government memo obtained by The Canadian Press last month.Smith is on an eastward swing through Montreal, Ottawa and Toronto, where she’s looking to drum up support for resource development, including an oil pipeline to the northern B.C. coast. She said she planned to meet with Prime Minister Mark Carney later on Monday and tell him to do something to show that “Canada is open for business.” “It’s their job to build ports and rail infrastructure, it’s their job to build cross-border pipelines, and I think it’s the prime minister’s job to show some courage in showing leadership on this,” she said.
“Without the federal government making some decisions to build things again, we won’t be a leader in the G7 or a superpower in the energy sector.” In her speech to the Chamber of Commerce of Metropolitan Montreal, the premier of Alberta also emphasized the need for stronger economic ties between the provinces. She said Ontario and Quebec have a strong manufacturing base that could supply Alberta with equipment such as drill bits, turbines and steel pipe, all of which the province currently buys from the United States.
Speaking with reporters ahead of the speech, Smith said she’s not pushing for a pipeline project through Quebec right now, but believes the province should develop its own natural gas to reduce its reliance on the United States — and on federal equalization payments.
She added, “I’d love to see Quebec develop a new revenue source so that they can reduce the amount of equalization they get,” explaining that “so if Quebecers want to be strong and sovereign within a united Canada, starting by developing their own resources is number one.” Smith said she was also trying to find out if it might be feasible to eventually transport Alberta’s fossil fuels to Thunder Bay and then ship them to a Quebec port by tanker for eventual export.
As part of her trip, Smith also plans to meet with federal government officials and MPs in Ottawa, before speaking with Ontario Premier Doug Ford in Toronto on Wednesday.
Alberta, Quebec united to push back against feds: Smith
