This is brilliant..Danielle Smith took a lot of criticism when she promoted the Sovereignty Act — it wouldn't work, it was unconstitutional, we should be working with Ottawa and not trying to pick a fight with the Liberal government..She stuck to her guns, pulled the wets in her party along with her, won the election and today rolled out the Sovereignty Act for the first time. And it puts the ball right back in Ottawa's court. Where it belongs..On Thursday morning, Natural Resources Minister Jonathan Wilkinson introduced what he called the Canadian Sustainable Jobs Act. (It is, in fact, the Just Transition rebranded, see here.) .Smith's brief summary in a statement issued just after lunch Thursday, accurately summarized Bill C-50, as it will be known as it passes through Parliament.."... the primary purpose of the proposed ‘Sustainable Jobs Act’ is to form an advisory council that will provide the federal government with recommendations on how to support the Canadian workforce during transition to a ‘net zero economy.’ ".But Alberta has its own strategy. "... Alberta already released and is actively implementing our own Emissions Reduction and Energy Development Plan that strives to achieve a carbon neutral energy economy by 2050, primarily through investment in emissions reduction technologies and the increased export of Alberta LNG to replace higher-emitting fuels internationally.".Furthermore, under Canada's constitution, how we do it is entirely up to Alberta.."As the development of Alberta’s natural resources and the regulation of our energy sector workforce are constitutional rights and the responsibility of Alberta, any recommendations provided by this new federal advisory council must align with Alberta’s Emissions Reduction and Energy Development Plan.".Get that? When the Constitution says it's a provincial jurisdiction, federal legislation has to align with provincial plans, not the other way around.."To be clear, if this new advisory council provides the federal government with recommendations that are inconsistent with Alberta’s Emissions Reduction and Energy Development Plan or otherwise interferes with our province’s constitutional jurisdiction over the development of our natural resources and regulation of our energy workforce, Alberta will not recognize the legitimacy of those recommendations in any manner.".Get that too? It means if you don't like it, you can sue the Government of Alberta..Which they almost certainly will..The difference is in the past when there were disagreements between the two levels of government, the province had to sue Ottawa. The provincial challenge to the the so-called 'No Pipelines Act, Bill C-69,' is a case in point. While the case progressed, the province had to conform to federal law. .Now however Ottawa blusters, Alberta will follow its constitutional path until the courts decide. Whenever that may be..This is not the end of the matter. This is just the start. Ottawa will weave and dodge, threaten and dissemble and we shall also find out just how quickly the Supreme Court of Canada — which of course we all know is splendidly indifferent to the needs of governing parties — can move when it has to..But, Alberta has a legitimate defence that has been rolled out as advertised..I didn't think the first test would come so quickly. But here it is..And, it's brilliant.
