UCP leadership candidate Danielle Smith says her first act as premier would be to introduce legislation authorizing the Alberta government to refuse to enforce any federal law or policy that attacks Alberta's interests or provincial rights..Smith outlined her proposed Alberta Sovereignty Act in a video posted to Facebook Wednesday..The number on issue she’s hearing from voters is needing a leader who will stand up from Albertans when Ottawa “is treating us so unfairly," she said..“Simply put, we need less Ottawa in our lives,” Smith said..“Our federal government landlocked our resources, destroyed so many livelihoods and made all the basics we need to live so much more expensive.”.Smith was the first candidate to jump in the United Conservative Party leadership race, just hours after Premier Jason Kenney announced he would resign last month following a leadership review which revealed he had the support of just 51.4% of party members..Smith is the former leader of the Opposition Wildrose party. .In 2020, the federal government passed Bill C-69, which Kenney dubbed the "No More Pipelines Law." The legislation created a new authority to assess industrial projects, such as pipelines, mines and inter-provincial highways, for their effects on public health, the environment and the economy..Last month, the Alberta Court of Appeal struck down the law, ruling it unconstitutional. .“If upheld, the (legislation) would permanently alter the division of powers and forever place provincial governments in an economic chokehold controlled by the federal government,” the majority of a five-justice panel wrote..Ottawa is appealing that decision to the Supreme Court. .The Alberta government has also long fought the federal government's carbon tax, which the Supreme Court ruled constitutional in March 2021..In light of record high fuel prices, Alberta has renewed calls for Ottawa to suspend the tax, which costs consumers an additional 11 cents per litre of gas and 13.4 cents per litre of diesel..The federal fuel tax increases costs by another 10 cents and four cents, respectively..Just last week, Environment and Parks Minister Jason Nixon asked his NDP counterpart to join the government is asking Ottawa to suspend the tax amid runaway inflation and record high fuel prices. NDP energy critic Kathleen Ganley declined.
