Premier Danielle Smith announces proposed changes to several pieces of democratic process legislation, in Edmonton on Tuesday.--CP Photo Jason Franson
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One day after the federal election, it appears Canada’s House of Commons is heading into a seventh straight year of minority parliament, with Alberta’s federal and provincial politicians also stating they too will stay the same course.
Premier Danielle Smith issued a brief congratulations to Liberal Leader Mark Carney on being elected prime minister in Monday’s vote, but also included a lengthy description of “hostile” action by the last Liberal government aimed at “devastating” the Alberta economy.
“I live in hope,” she told reporters on Tuesday morning. “At the very beginning of the campaign, I said whoever got elected, I expect them to address nine offensive pieces of legislation that prevent us from being able to exercise our jurisdiction to develop our resources … it’s all very reasonable.
“Over the next six months I’ll work to get them addressed, because if it’s the case there’s a consensus to getting our energy to new markets, these are kind of the baseline actions of resetting the relationship with Alberta.”
That includes clean electricity regulation that should be targeted quickly for insulating action, said Smith, but also emissions targets, transferring industrial carbon levy authority to provinces, plastics restrictions and other energy items.
“We’ll assert our right to develop our resources and our electricity grid for the benefit of Albertans,” she said.
Medicine Hat-Cardston-Warner MP Glen Motz was re-elected with a 76 per cent majority in the regional riding, but was unsure of how the new makeup in parliament will work.
“It’s disappointing in my eyes, because there’s risk in a new Liberal term,” he said on election night.
With several tight results still being determined and the likelihood of recounts, the Liberals were considered to hold 169 seats on Tuesday afternoon, whereas 172 seats is considered a majority in 343-seat House of Commons.
The Conservatives were leading or elected in 144, the Bloc Quebecois in 22, New Democrats in seven and the Green Party in one.
Motz said Stephen Harper governed well with minority mandates for two terms totalling four years from 2006 to 2011, without a formal agreement from other parties.
Motz credited sound policy, which he’d like to see, but wasn’t convinced was possible in the new parliament.
“It’s possible, and you develop policy that is good for Canada and Canadians that have it very very difficult for other parties to say, ‘We can’t support this,” he told reporters.
Federal Conservatives have been critical of Carney for adopting certain Conservative campaign planks in the brief campaign.
Smith said the lesson should be that national policy that supports economy and specifically Alberta’s energy concerns is a winning platform with voters.
“Over 300 MPs got elected on they stood on a platform to work with provinces to establish economic corridors and to get our products to market,” she said.
Alberta NDP Leader Naheed Nenshi issued a statement congratulating the Liberal leader and said it’s time for Alberta to work with Ottawa on affordability issues in the face of a North American trade dispute.
“It’s now time to set aside the divisive battles and come together to serve Canada in a time when the nation is under existential threat,” he wrote. “For Alberta, this means working together with the new federal government to make deals that benefit Albertans.”
“Canadians are tired of endless political fighting. Spending millions on a Fair Deal panel or squabbling over plastic straws doesn’t lower grocery bills, make insurance affordable, or create sustainable jobs.”
The New Democrats scheduled an event Wednesday to outline “Smith’s Separatist Agenda.”
The federal NDP and Conservatives are also without leaders sitting in the Commons, for the time being.
Jagmeet Singh has said he’ll step down as NDP leader, while Pierre Poilievre’s seat was won by a Liberal challenger after a lengthy counting process that ended Tuesday.
Smith also told reporters that Poilievre should stay on as leader, perhaps seeking another seat in a byelection.
“I think all (Conservatives) elected last night would agree they won because of the efforts of the leader … I don’t see any reason why he shouldn’t stay on,” she said.
