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Alberta UCP leadership candidates unite to raise alarm on Alberta sovereignty bill

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2 years ago

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EDMONTON — More than half the candidates in the race to replace Premier Jason Kenney are raising the alarm over a rival’s plan to proclaim Alberta would reject federal laws and court decisions deemed against the province’s interests.

The four say the Alberta sovereignty act proposal by candidate Danielle Smith is resonating with United Conservative Party members and they have a duty to speak out on it.

They call it a dangerous exploitation of latent anti-Ottawa anger and a backdoor separation bid that cannot succeed and would instead further inflame and divide the party and the province.

“The consequence will be (Smith) will have a caucus that will be standing up against the leader,” candidate Leela Aheer told reporters Thursday in Calgary.

“If Danielle Smith wins this (race), I plan to stay on, and I plan to fight this.

“We could very, very easily end up in another leadership race again,” she added.

The four UCP caucus members said they won’t vote for Smith’s proposed Alberta sovereignty act and questioned whether it would even gain enough votes to pass in the house.

“There would be extreme division within caucus. There could be a split in the party,” said Rajan Sawhney.

Brian Jean equated Smith’s plan to shouting “Freedom!” to rile up party members.

“It feeds on the anger but accomplishes absolutely nothing because there’s no pathway except through negotiations and the Constitution being opened,” said Jean.

“After the fantasy is over, and we’ve had our bedtime story — our fairy tale — then what? Because you’re going to wake up in the morning and it’s still going to be the same, except you’re going to be a lot angrier.”

Sawhney said if Smith wants to challenge Ottawa through the Constitution, she can do so now through the courts and through the Charter’s notwithstanding clause.

“(Smith’s plan) is flagrantly unconstitutional and it flirts with separatism,” she said.

Travis Toews said the bill would create a legal vacuum, sending investors fleeing and stranding business owners between conflicting federal and provincial laws.

“Alberta must stand up to Ottawa and protect our interests, but the sovereignty act is not the way we win,” said Toews.

Smith responded in a written statement.

“I entirely trust the judgment of our UCP membership to select the leader they feel will best defend them against Ottawa’s continued unconstitutional attacks,” she wrote.

“I will respect their decision when it is made. I would expect my future caucus colleagues to do the same.”

All seven candidates have promised varying polices for Alberta to gain a better deal with the federal government when it comes to a range of grievances from energy policy to equalization payments.

Smith has been drawing large crowds at party events and is seen as a front-runner to replace Kenney. Ballots were issued last week and a winner is to be announced Oct. 6.

Candidate Todd Loewen’s policy proposals have been similar to those of Smith.

Rebecca Schulz, the former children’s services minister, did not join the others at Thursday’s event.

In a statement, Schulz reiterated she is against the sovereignty act. She said if it’s introduced, Smith’s signature bill would be rejected by the UCP caucus, resulting in yet another party leadership race.

Political scientist Duane Bratt said having half the candidates jointly challenge a policy proposal is highly unusual for a race and speaks to the looming legal and political implications of Smith’s plan.

Bratt also criticized Schulz’s non-appearance.

He said Schulz appeared to be trying to position herself in safe political middle ground by criticizing Smith in print while avoiding being visually linked to the four by appearing at the event.

“There is no neutrality (on this issue),” said Bratt, with Mount Royal University in Calgary. “(Schulz) is playing leadership games with an issue that is too important.”

Legal experts have criticized Smith’s proposal as not only illegal but as a fundamental attack on the rule of law and the checks and balances that underpin a democracy.

Kenney has said he won’t vote for the proposal and Lieut.-Gov. Salma Lakhani announced last week she is duty-bound to refuse to sign into law a bill that violates the Constitution.

Smith has promised her bill would challenge the Constitution in a constitutionally acceptable way, but she has not explained how.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 8, 2022.

 

Dean Bennett, The Canadian Press

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Political Earthquake in British Columbia: Kevin Falcon Suspends B.C. United Campaign, Backs Conservatives

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6 days ago

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August 29, 2024

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In a move that sent shockwaves through British Columbia’s political landscape, B.C. United leader Kevin Falcon announced on Wednesday that his party would suspend its campaign for the upcoming provincial election and throw its support behind John Rustad’s resurgent B.C. Conservatives. This unprecedented decision has left political watchers and analysts scrambling to make sense of the ramifications for the province’s political future.

Kevin Falcon, who took the reins of the B.C. Liberals—now rebranded as B.C. United—in February 2022, delivered the stunning news at a press conference that left many in disbelief. The former cabinet minister, known for his confidence and assertiveness, appeared uncharacteristically somber and introspective as he explained the rationale behind his decision.

Shachi Kurl, president of the Angus Reid Institute, observed the stark contrast in Falcon’s demeanor. “This is a man who has always exuded confidence, even cockiness, throughout his political career. But today, he seemed on the brink of tears, visibly struggling with the weight of this decision,” Kurl noted. The emotional toll of Falcon’s announcement was evident, underscoring the gravity of the situation both personally and professionally for the B.C. United leader.

The roots of B.C. United’s collapse can be traced back to two key decisions made by Falcon: the expulsion of John Rustad from the party and the controversial rebranding from the B.C. Liberals to B.C. United. Rustad, who was removed from the party in February 2023 for questioning climate change science, quickly capitalized on his dismissal by revitalizing the dormant B.C. Conservative Party. Since then, Rustad has attracted a growing number of former B.C. United MLAs and candidates to his cause, turning the B.C. Conservatives into a formidable political force.

The decision to rebrand the B.C. Liberals as B.C. United, which was meant to signal a fresh start for the party, has been widely criticized as poorly timed and poorly executed. Bill Bennett, a former Liberal cabinet minister, lamented the lack of public understanding of the new brand. “There was no real effort to rebrand and help the public grasp who B.C. United was. The entire process lacked sufficient resources, which ultimately led to its failure,” Bennett said.

Political scientists have been quick to analyze the implications of Falcon’s decision to suspend B.C. United’s campaign. Stewart Prest, a political science lecturer at the University of British Columbia (UBC), expressed shock at the sudden turn of events. “This was a party that, just moments ago, was preparing to compete in this election. To suddenly wave the white flag and step aside in favor of another party is unprecedented. We haven’t seen anything quite like this before,” Prest remarked.

The move has also raised questions about Falcon’s leadership and the future of B.C. United. Gerald Baier, an associate professor of political science at UBC, suggested that Falcon’s decision to expel Rustad may be viewed as the pivotal moment in his leadership. “If Falcon could go back and change one decision, it would likely be the expulsion of Rustad. That move set off a chain reaction that ultimately led to the party’s collapse,” Baier explained.

With B.C. United stepping aside, the B.C. Conservatives are now positioned to become the main opposition to the ruling B.C. NDP in the upcoming election, scheduled for October 19. However, the transition will not be without its challenges. The Conservatives will need to decide which B.C. United candidates to include on their slate, a process that could leave some candidates and voters in a state of uncertainty.

As the political landscape in British Columbia shifts dramatically, the upcoming election promises to be one of the most closely watched and hotly contested in recent memory. The decision by Falcon to back the B.C. Conservatives has not only upended the election but has also reshaped the future of politics in the province. As the dust settles, all eyes will be on John Rustad and his ability to capitalize on this newfound momentum.

In conclusion, Kevin Falcon’s decision to suspend B.C. United’s campaign and endorse the B.C. Conservatives marks a pivotal moment in British Columbia’s political history. The move has raised numerous questions about the future of B.C. United, the leadership of the B.C. Conservatives, and the upcoming election itself. As the province braces for what promises to be a highly volatile election season, one thing is clear: British Columbia’s political landscape will never be the same.

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No conflict in handling of B.C. zero-emission grants, says auditor general

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7 days ago

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August 28, 2024

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VICTORIA – British Columbia’s auditor general says his office has found no evidence of a conflict of interest in the handling of provincial grants for the zero-emission vehicle sector, after an accusation by a truck maker earlier this year.

Michael Pickup says in a statement the investigation looked into accounting firm MNP’s handling of Advanced Research and Commercialization grant applications, reviewing “a significant amount of information” from the company, the government and all applicants.

Pickup says the results show no evidence MNP wrote grant applications for clients, influenced the evaluation process to benefit clients or used its administering of the program to “recruit” clients for the company’s other services.

In April, the provincial legislature unanimously directed Pickup’s office to examine allegations by electric-hybrid truck maker Edison Motors that MNP was both administering the grants and offering services to help businesses with applications.

The Office of the Auditor General says the allegations from Edison, which is based in Merritt, B.C., suggested MNP “was offering to write grant applications in exchange for a success fee while also deciding who received grant funding.”

MNP said at the time that the allegations were “false and misleading.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 28, 2024.

The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.

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Prime Ontario agricultural land to be protected amid energy expansion, minister says

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7 days ago

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August 28, 2024

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Certain solar farms will be banned on prime agricultural land in Ontario as the province expands energy production to meet demand in the coming decades, Energy Minister Stephen Lecce said Wednesday.

Ontario is looking to add some 5,000 megawatts of energy to the grid, with Lecce directing the Independent Electricity System Operator to secure “technology agnostic” energy resources. That means the province will use a mix of natural gas, hydroelectric, renewables, nuclear and biomass energy sources, he said.

But the province is making efforts to protect key agricultural areas in the process, the minister said.

Ground-mounted solar panels will be prohibited on prime agricultural farmland, said Lecce, who pledged the province would “never misuse” those lands.

“Our farmers need more energy more than ever,” Lecce said.

“They need access to to affordable energy and so we made a commitment to work with them on a policy that ultimately will respect prime agricultural land.”

Other energy products being considered on prime agricultural land will now require an impact assessment before proceeding.

The province is also giving power to municipalities to decide if they want a particular energy project.

“Long gone are the days where Queen’s Park imposes projects on unwilling communities, undermining those agricultural areas,” Lecce said.

The news is welcome to farmers, said Drew Spoelstra, the president of the Ontario Federation of Agriculture.

“The new energy procurement framework is a major step forward for Ontario,” he said.

“Reliable and affordable energy is incredibly important to the growth of the Ontario economy, including food production, food processing and the agri-food sector.”

Farmers and Premier Doug Ford’s government have had an up-and-down relationship in recent years in light of the Greenbelt scandal.

The province had said they were going to build 50,000 homes on the protected Greenbelt, which includes prime agricultural land. But several investigations by provincial bodies found the process was flawed as it favoured some developers with ties to the government over others.

Farmers did not like the possible encroachment onto farmland and joined the chorus to denounce the Greenbelt move. Last summer, amid mounting public pressure to reverse course, Ford walked back those Greenbelt plans.

Lecce’s announcement Wednesday comes as the province’s electricity demand is expected to grow by about two per cent each year, although that could be even higher depending on electrification within the broader economy.

The IESO has said the province will need at least 60 per cent more energy by 2050.

Ontario has also recently been adding electricity storage projects, with an eye to about 2,500 megawatts, and the IESO said the province’s emerging battery fleet will pair well with wind and solar, so that the power generated by those methods can be stored and injected into the grid when needed.

Ford cancelled 750 renewable energy contracts shortly after his Progressive Conservatives formed government in 2018, after the former Liberal government faced widespread anger over the long-term contracts with clean power producers at above-market rates.

The province is also moving ahead with nuclear energy expansion, including seeking to refurbish units at the Pickering nuclear plant, build small modular reactors at the Darlington nuclear plant and exploring a new, large-scale plant at Bruce Power.

In 2021, the electricity system was 94 per cent emissions free, but that is now down to 87 per cent as it uses natural gas to meet demand.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 28, 2024.

The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.

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