A constitutional law expert says it’s unlikely the federal government will engage as a combatant with Alberta over its proposed sovereignty bill.
The legislation would give Premier Danielle Smith and her cabinet broad powers to rewrite provincial laws behind closed doors in an effort to push back against Ottawa.
But Eric Adams, a constitutional law expert at the University of Alberta, expects the federal government to take a wait-and-see approach to the legislation.
He says it doesn’t want to appear to be at war with the province or singling out Alberta given the largely hands-off approach it has used in its dealings with Quebec.
Adams says there is also an argument to wait for the results of next year’s provincial election in Alberta, which could result in a change of government.
He says there may be an argument before the courts that the legislation is constitutional, but it may go too far in suggesting provinces have the authority to order entities to refuse federal laws.
