KANANASKIS — The Western Premiers’ Conference wrapped up Tuesday in Kananaskis with premiers from across Western Canada discussing economic development, national unity, and major nation-building projects amid growing global instability and renewed tensions at home over Alberta’s independence movement and debates surrounding the management and export of Canada’s natural resources.Speaking to reporters on Tuesday afternoon, two of the premiers clashed over the recent court ruling that quashed the Stay Free Alberta independence petition as it related to indigenous consultation rights..Earlier this month, Trudeau-appointed Alberta Justice Shaina Leonard struck down the petition after ruling Alberta’s Chief Electoral Officer improperly approved it without sufficient Crown consultation with First Nations whose treaty rights could be impacted by the document.Asked about the ruling, Alberta Premier Danielle Smith said her government plans to seek clarification through the court system on the scope of the constitutional duty to consult.“We’ll make the arguments in court about what the limits to the duty to consult ought to be and see how that conversation goes,” Smith said.“We want to make sure we have a very clear understanding of what the duty to consult really means and what it doesn’t mean. I think at the moment there’s a lack of clarity on that.”Smith added the duty to consult is meant to be looked at “through the lens of major projects and we take that very seriously.”She pointed to Alberta’s Indigenous Opportunities Corporation and the province’s efforts to support indigenous participation in resource development projects..UPDATED: Trudeau-appointed judge quashes Stay Free Alberta independence petition.“We want to continue engaging with indigenous nations on that, but the issue in the court is whether that duty to consult should apply to citizen petitions and that’s where I think the court erred in judgment. I think it’s also anti-democratic, the decision that they made.”However, Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew sharply disagreed with his colleague’s interpretation of the responsibility to consult, arguing the responsibility falls squarely on the shoulders of Smith’s government, not on the petition’s organizers.“I think we know that is not correct, a lot of what you just said there, Premier Smith,” Kinew said.“It is not up to the petition gatherers to fulfil the duty to consult. It is up to you, as the Alberta government, to fulfil the duty to consult.”He argued the Stay Free Alberta petition could also have a massive effect on the existing hunting and fishing rights of First Nations, arguing the judge’s ruling was a correct one.Kinew also put forward that Alberta should pause independence discussions and focus on working with the rest of Canada to push forward major nation-building projects such as pipelines and LNG development.“At the end of the day, we want Canada to succeed,” he said.“We’re all very proud of this place. I myself am very, very patriotic... Now [as for] the rest of Canada, let’s work together and show Alberta just how appreciated they are by the rest of this country.”
