Alberta Premier Danielle Smith called the Canada Strong and Free Network (CSFN) Regional Conference “a rallying point for all of us who believe in a strong and free and prosperous Canada.” “This past year, our conservative movement has shown remarkable strength, and we need to keep that momentum going,” said Smith in a Saturday speech at the CSFN Regional Conference. “We’ve grown faster than ever before, proving that our ideas and our values and our vision resonate deeply with people.”.Smith said conservative politicians have to be able to communicate their ideas and convince people to support them. That is what the Alberta government is doing. This year’s Alberta United Conservative Party Annual General Meeting was the largest political convention in Canadian history, with more than 3,800 delegates. She predicted next year’s Alberta UCP AGM will be larger, as it is located in Red Deer. While the UCP’s success was a win for it, she said it was a win for the conservative movement. She admitted she was worried what would have happened with left-wing city councils in Alberta’s major cities, a left-wing provincial government, and a left-wing Canadian government. She said conservatives are resilient, determined, get down to business, and solve problems to create a better future. No matter what, she said they rise to the challenge. The premier went on to say she wants Alberta to be a place with a prosperous economy, a quality healthcare and education system, safe streets where criminals are brought to justice, and one that will not back down from the Canadian government’s ideological policies. That is why the first piece of legislation she tabled was the Alberta Sovereignty Act (ASA). The ASA states the Canadian Constitution and Charter of Rights and Freedoms matter and the federal government cannot violate them. She said the ASA “is almost like a notwithstanding clause on bad federal legislation.”.Many people said it would not work. However, it started a conversation across Canada. She acknowledged the Alberta government has fought back against the just transition. It has refused to phase out oil and gas. This is because she does not want Alberta to be treated like a perpetual younger sibling. Alberta is an equal in confederation with the other provinces. The Supreme Court of Canada has agreed with this interpretation. It rejected the Canadian government’s position on Bill C-69, saying it violated jurisdictional authority. She joked about Bill C-69 blocking energy projects by nicknaming it the Don't Build Anything Anywhere Act. The Canadian government lost another case involving the Alberta government about the single-use plastics ban. The Alberta government intervened in Dow Chemical’s case by arguing the ban was frivolous and disruptive. While the Canadian government has lost these two cases, it is moving forward with the Clean Electricity Regulations. She said electricity is provincial jurisdiction, so it will lose this case. Smith concluded by saying conservatives have to keep their foot on the gas, sustaining the momentum they have worked hard to achieve. She said it is not the time for complacency. “It is the time for action, for courage, and for leadership,” she said..Smith said in her first UCP AGM speech since the last election on November 4 Alberta is leading and has to continue to lead.READ MORE: Smith says the world should value Alberta’s leadership“We must be that shining city on the hill,” she said. “That land of promise that the best and brightest Canadians and people from around the world look to and say ‘there is the land of opportunity my family and I want to make our home.’”
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith called the Canada Strong and Free Network (CSFN) Regional Conference “a rallying point for all of us who believe in a strong and free and prosperous Canada.” “This past year, our conservative movement has shown remarkable strength, and we need to keep that momentum going,” said Smith in a Saturday speech at the CSFN Regional Conference. “We’ve grown faster than ever before, proving that our ideas and our values and our vision resonate deeply with people.”.Smith said conservative politicians have to be able to communicate their ideas and convince people to support them. That is what the Alberta government is doing. This year’s Alberta United Conservative Party Annual General Meeting was the largest political convention in Canadian history, with more than 3,800 delegates. She predicted next year’s Alberta UCP AGM will be larger, as it is located in Red Deer. While the UCP’s success was a win for it, she said it was a win for the conservative movement. She admitted she was worried what would have happened with left-wing city councils in Alberta’s major cities, a left-wing provincial government, and a left-wing Canadian government. She said conservatives are resilient, determined, get down to business, and solve problems to create a better future. No matter what, she said they rise to the challenge. The premier went on to say she wants Alberta to be a place with a prosperous economy, a quality healthcare and education system, safe streets where criminals are brought to justice, and one that will not back down from the Canadian government’s ideological policies. That is why the first piece of legislation she tabled was the Alberta Sovereignty Act (ASA). The ASA states the Canadian Constitution and Charter of Rights and Freedoms matter and the federal government cannot violate them. She said the ASA “is almost like a notwithstanding clause on bad federal legislation.”.Many people said it would not work. However, it started a conversation across Canada. She acknowledged the Alberta government has fought back against the just transition. It has refused to phase out oil and gas. This is because she does not want Alberta to be treated like a perpetual younger sibling. Alberta is an equal in confederation with the other provinces. The Supreme Court of Canada has agreed with this interpretation. It rejected the Canadian government’s position on Bill C-69, saying it violated jurisdictional authority. She joked about Bill C-69 blocking energy projects by nicknaming it the Don't Build Anything Anywhere Act. The Canadian government lost another case involving the Alberta government about the single-use plastics ban. The Alberta government intervened in Dow Chemical’s case by arguing the ban was frivolous and disruptive. While the Canadian government has lost these two cases, it is moving forward with the Clean Electricity Regulations. She said electricity is provincial jurisdiction, so it will lose this case. Smith concluded by saying conservatives have to keep their foot on the gas, sustaining the momentum they have worked hard to achieve. She said it is not the time for complacency. “It is the time for action, for courage, and for leadership,” she said..Smith said in her first UCP AGM speech since the last election on November 4 Alberta is leading and has to continue to lead.READ MORE: Smith says the world should value Alberta’s leadership“We must be that shining city on the hill,” she said. “That land of promise that the best and brightest Canadians and people from around the world look to and say ‘there is the land of opportunity my family and I want to make our home.’”
