Alberta Premier Danielle Smith wants to strategize on provincial sovereignty with Quebec's premier

Janet French · CBC News

· Posted: Apr 01, 2025 9:50 PM EDT | Last Updated: 8 minutes ago

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith would similar to person a tête-à-tête with Quebec Premier François Legault astir asserting their provincial sovereignty, according to a missive Smith wrote past month.

"I spot an accidental earlier us, arsenic the democratically elected leaders of Alberta and Quebec, to illustration a way toward a caller epoch successful Canadian federalism," Smith said successful a March 21 missive penned to her Quebec counterpart, successful which she asked for a meeting.

Smith was responding to recommendations contained successful a study prepared past twelvemonth for the Quebec authorities suggesting ways that state could asseverate its provincial authority.

The six-person sheet made 42 recommendations past November, including the adoption of a Quebec constitution, instauration of Quebec citizenship, and passing a instrumentality to support against national interference into provincial jurisdiction.

In the letter, provided by the Alberta premier's office, Smith says she supports astatine slightest 8 of the Quebec panel's recommendations.

Smith says she would backmost Quebec's requests for law amendments to person Quebec spot instrumentality supercede national law, and to necessitate the national authorities to name superior tribunal judges from campaigner lists prepared by the province.

Quebec's sheet besides proposes that authorities clasp a mandatory nationalist statement whenever its usage of the notwithstanding clause is poised to expire — an expiry that happens automatically 5 years aft a provincial authorities opts to override a national charter close with provincial law.

Smith's missive says this thought is of "considerable interest" to Alberta.

"Elected legislatures — not federally appointed judges — should person the last connection connected the scope of rights taxable to a parliamentary sovereignty clause," Smith wrote, referring to the notwithstanding clause.

Smith's missive besides said she is "open to sharing accusation and advice" connected however her authorities crafted the Alberta Sovereignty Within a United Canada Act. It allows the Alberta legislature to walk a question ordering provincial entities to instrumentality antiaircraft enactment erstwhile the legislature decides a national inaugural is antagonistic to Alberta's champion interests.

In a connection connected Tuesday, Smith said she has told Legault that Alberta wants to enactment unneurotic with Quebec to heighten provincial autonomy.

"Alberta and Quebec person important communal interests with respect to countering overreach by the national authorities into matters of exclusive provincial jurisdiction," her connection said.

A petition to Legault's bureau for remark was not instantly answered connected Tuesday afternoon.

Frédéric Boily, a governmental subject prof astatine the University of Alberta's Campus Saint-Jean, said the missive is simply a bully determination from a premier to amusement she's advocating for Alberta's interests without raising questions astir separation from Canada.

At an unrelated quality league connected Tuesday successful Brooks, Alta., Smith said she's not funny successful a referendum connected Alberta independence, but citizens bash person a ineligible mechanics to propulsion for 1 if they privation it.

Smith has antecedently pledged to onslaught a sheet to see options, should the adjacent national authorities proceed with biology policies she sees arsenic harmful to Alberta's economy.

Boily said the timing of Smith's missive to Legault during the national predetermination run is interesting, arsenic polls suggest the Liberals person a accidental to instrumentality to power.

He said it's besides a connection to Smith's predominant ally, Ontario Premier Doug Ford, who has reportedly refused to publically enactment blimpish person Pierre Poilievre successful the election.

Smith is apt to elicit enactment from Saskatchewan premier Scott Moe, Boily said.

"From the constituent of presumption of Pierre Poilievre and the Conservatives, this benignant of inaugural betwixt Danielle Smith and different premiers, similar François Legault oregon Scott Moe astir provincial autonomy, it's not a atrocious thing," helium said.

"It's much problematic for Liberals and Mark Carney."