Alberta Premier Danielle Smith has warned of a national unity crisis following the federal election if the next prime minister continues the anti-Alberta, anti-oil and gas policies of former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and former Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault.
Smith recently declared, “Canada isn’t working for Alberta,” and, “I also want Canada to work for Alberta, and it hasn’t for the last 10 years.”
Her comments carry weight as polls indicate Liberal Leader Mark Carney could win the upcoming federal election. He is considered to hold the same views on net zero as Trudeau and Guilbeault.
On Thursday, Smith met with Quebec Justice Minister Simon Jolin-Barrette to explore strengthening provincial autonomy and countering federal overreach. Jolin-Barrette, a prominent figure in the Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ) government under Premier François Legault, has long championed policies reinforcing Quebec’s distinct identity and jurisdiction.
In a Feb. 24, National Post column, Jolin-Barrette backed Smith’s resistance to federal crime policies, signalling his readiness to align with other provinces against Ottawa.
In a statement on Thursday posted to X, Smith underscored the common ground between Alberta and Quebec in resisting federal intrusion into areas of exclusive provincial jurisdiction.
She thanked Jolin-Barrette for the meeting and highlighted their shared opposition to policies like Bill C-5, which she criticized for letting “dangerous repeat offenders out on bail instead of keeping them behind bars.”
Bill C-5, passed in 2022, eliminated some mandatory minimum sentences, a change Smith and others argue weakens public safety.
The discussions point to a potential alliance between Alberta and Quebec to challenge federal authority and enhance their jurisdictional rights.
