By The Canadian Press

Provincial Politics

Alberta NDP says premier’s rejection of federal authority lays separation groundwork

Dec 9, 2022 | 4:51 PM

EDMONTON – Alberta’s Opposition N-D-P leader says Premier Danielle Smith’s comments rejecting the legitimacy of the federal government betray her unspoken plan to lay the groundwork for eventual separation.

Rachel Notley says Smith’s comments not only let slip the veil on her separatist intentions but are also naive and ignorant of how federalism works in Canada.

Smith told the legislature as it passed her sovereignty bill this week that, in her words, “It’s not like Ottawa is a national government.”

The premier says Canada is a federation of sovereign jurisdictions, an assertion political scientists say is not true.

Smith’s bill is based on a policy paper co-written by her top adviser that urges Alberta to seek a better deal in Confederation while laying the groundwork for separation if it doesn’t get what it wants.

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Smith says the bill is not about separation, noting the title of the bill is “Alberta Sovereignty Within a United Canada.”

(The Canadian Press)