Alberta Premier Danielle Smith is rejecting suggestions she made a mistake when she introduced a bill that would give her cabinet sweeping powers to rewrite laws outside the legislative process.
Smith says the changes being made to her sovereignty act reversing that authority simply reflects the normal process of honing and clarifying legislation.
“The sovereignty act wasn’t perfect in its wording. That’s why it’s being amended,” Smith told reporters Tuesday. “There are a couple of clarifications that we needed to make.
“I just look at this as part of the process. You introduce bills with three readings for a reason.”
Smith has been widely criticized for introducing those unchecked powers in her sovereignty act as part of a broader plan to fight what she deems federal intrusion in areas of provincial responsibility.
After accusations last week that the bill gave her those powers, Smith reversed course on the weekend and said there would be amendments to fix it.
Her comments echoed those made by Justice Minister Tyler Shandro on Monday when he told reporters: “I’m not going to characterize it as a mistake.”
Neither Smith nor Shandro has explained how the powers ended up in the bill if they were not supposed to be there.
Shandro pushed back Monday on reporters, who suggested he and the other members of the Smiths United Conservative government didn’t understand that the bill contained the sweeping powers provision.
“Of course, the bill was understood,” said Shandro.
Asked if he was fine with the way the original bill was worded, Shandro, a lawyer, responded: “I’ve given legal advice to (cabinet) about what the options are and what the advantages and disadvantages are for the various different decision points.”
“I’m one member of (cabinet) that votes on it,” he said. “I’m not going to speak specifically about one particular decision point and what my advice was on that. I think that would be breaching cabinet confidentiality.”
The Opposition NDP says Smith either got caught trying to make an end-run power grab or is so incompetent she introduced an authoritarian bill without knowing she was doing it.
On Tuesday, NDP justice critic Irfan Sabir called for cabinet to waive confidentiality for Shandro so he could explain to Albertans what legal advice he delivered.
“If the government wants to have a shred of credibility left, they should release the legal advice they received,” Sabir said in a statement.
“All of this uncertainty is harming our reputation and our economic future.”
The bill is in second reading. The next stage, committee of the whole, is when the bill is to be debated in greater detail, and that is when amendments are expected.
On Monday, UCP caucus members said they would forward two amendments.
The first change would clarify that any changes cabinet makes to laws under the sovereignty act can’t be done in secret, but must instead come back to the house for the normal process of debate and approval.
The caucus also voted to propose an amendment to spell out when cabinet can take action.
Under the bill, cabinet has wide latitude to respond to whatever federal law policy or program it deems harmful to Alberta’s interests.
With the amendment, harm would be defined as anything a majority of the legislature deems to be an unconstitutional federal intrusion in provincial areas of responsibility.
Caucus whip Brad Rutherford said the changes reflect concerns members heard from constituents.
Smith said she welcomes the amendments.
The bill has been criticized by political scientists and legal experts as constitutionally questionable and a threat to the checks and balances of democracy.
Indigenous leaders have come out against it, saying it tramples on treaty rights. Business groups, including the Calgary Chamber of Commerce, warn the legal uncertainty surrounding the bill is not good for investment.
There is also concern that the legislature is usurping the role of the courts by deciding on its own under the bill what is constitutional and what is not.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 6, 2022.
EDMONTON – RCMP say a second suspect has been arrested in the killing of an Alberta county worker.
Mounties say 28-year-old Elijah Strawberry was taken into custody Friday at a house on O’Chiese First Nation.
Colin Hough, a worker with Rocky View County, was shot and killed while on the job on a rural road east of Calgary on Aug. 6.
Another man who worked for Fortis Alberta was shot and wounded, and RCMP said the suspects fled in a Rocky View County work truck.
Police later arrested Arthur Wayne Penner, 35, and charged him with first-degree murder and attempted murder, and a warrant was issued for Strawberry’s arrest.
RCMP also said there was a $10,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of Strawberry, describing him as armed and dangerous.
Chief Supt. Roberta McKale, told a news conference in Edmonton that officers had received tips and information over the last few weeks.
“I don’t know of many members that when were stopped, fuelling up our vehicles, we weren’t keeping an eye out, looking for him,” she said.
But officers had been investigating other cases when they found Strawberry.
“Our investigators were in O’Chiese First Nation at a residence on another matter and the major crimes unit was there working another file and ended up locating him hiding in the residence,” McKale said.
While an investigation is still underway, RCMP say they’re confident both suspects in the case are in police custody.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 13, 2024.
RICHMOND, B.C. – The Integrated Homicide Investigation Team says the 26-year-old son of a man found dead on British Columbia’s Sunshine Coast has been charged with his murder.
Police say 58-year-old Henry Doyle was found badly injured on a forest service road in Egmont last September and died of his injuries.
The homicide team took over when the BC Coroners Service said the man’s death was suspicious.
It says in a statement that the BC Prosecution Service has approved one count of first-degree murder against the man’s son, Jackson Doyle.
Police say the accused will remain in custody until at least his next court appearance.
The homicide team says investigators remained committed to solving the case with the help of the community of Egmont, the RCMP on the Sunshine Coast and in Richmond, and the Vancouver Police Department.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 13, 2024.
VANCOUVER – Mediated talks between the union representing HandyDART workers in Metro Vancouver and its employer, Transdev, have broken off without an agreement following 15 hours of talks.
Joe McCann, president of Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1724, says they stayed at the bargaining table with help from a mediator until 2 a.m. Friday and made “some progress.”
However, he says the union negotiators didn’t get an offer that they could recommend to the membership.
McCann says that in some ways they are close to an agreement, but in other areas they are “miles apart.”
About 600 employees of the door-to-door transit service for people who can’t navigate the conventional transit system have been on strike since last week, pausing service for all but essential medical trips.
McCann asks HandyDART users to be “patient,” since they are trying to get not only a fair contract for workers but also a better service for customers.
He says it’s unclear when the talks will resume, but he hopes next week at the latest.
The employer, Transdev, didn’t reply to an interview request before publication.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 13, 2024.
