The tense relationship between Western Canada and the federal government was a topic of discussion at the recent Alberta Beef Industry Conference in Banff.
During her presentation to the conference, Premier Danielle Smith pointed to a federal proposal last year to place fat content warning labels on ground beef and pork. Although Health Canada backed down due to opposition, Alberta needs to be prepared to fight future challenges, she said.
Former British Columbia premier Christy Clark and ex-Alberta senator Doug Black joined former Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall in a panel discussion at the conference about the future of Western Canada.
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Clark was not optimistic about the economy due to high debt and a lack of new resource-based projects.
“If we don’t start building more pipelines, if we don’t start drilling for more gas, particularly in (British Columbia) if we don’t start digging more mines, and figuring out how to make sure that the trees can be cut down … we’re not going to have an economy, and regulation and tax and government intervention is just killing all that opportunity that Canada has always depended on that comes out of and off the ground,” she said.
Black took aim at federal initiatives such as the proposed Just Transition legislation to help oil and gas workers move to green energy jobs, and caps on oil and gas emissions.
“As the premiers have pointed out, Ottawa has forgotten who funds all of these programs and projects, which are apparently so desirable for us.”
Clark said nearly everything being done to fight climate change is going “absolutely the wrong direction. I think we’ve got to have a different way to do it, but unfortunately, I think the British Columbia, Ontario and Quebec governments are supporting the federal government in doing that the wrong way.”
There are few remedies available to provincial governments when the federal government strays into their jurisdiction, she said.
“I do see the Alberta Sovereignty Act and the Saskatchewan First Act in that context.”
