Alberta Premier Danielle Smith watches Minister of Justice and Solicitor General of Alberta Tyler Shandro speak at a press conference after the Speech from the Throne in Edmonton, Tuesday, Nov. 29, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jason Franson
OTTAWA – Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says the federal government is going to work as constructively as possible with Alberta after lawmakers passed Premier Danielle Smith’s controversial sovereignty act.
The legislature passed the legislation overnight after stripping out a provision that would have granted the provincial cabinet extraordinary powers.
Indigenous groups had called for the bill to be scrapped and the Opposition New Democrats described it as “a hot mess express.”
Trudeau says the legislation is obviously the Alberta government trying to push back at the federal government.
He says he will not get into an argument about it, instead delivering on things such as child care and dental care.
Randy Boissonnault, a federal Liberal cabinet minister from Alberta, says nobody has asked for this legislation and is concerned how it will be used.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 8, 2022.
