'The kind of leader I am': Smith accepts sovereignty act amendments from UCP caucus
Alberta's premier says she is OK with her caucus making changes to the sovereignty act bill she introduced last week, while the NDP argued it would be better to scrap it altogether.
On Monday, United Conservative Party MLAs voted to propose amendments to Bill 1, the Alberta Sovereignty within a United Canada Act.
The changes would see unilateral powers granted to Danielle Smith and her cabinet removed from the bill and would limit the scope of when it can be used.
"She's lost people's trust with this bumbling and stumbling," NDP Leader Rachel Notley alleged during question period.
"My caucus identified some issues that they wanted to address. They wanted to seek some clarity," Smith said during her response. "And that's the kind of leader I am, I want to make sure we get this bill right and I'm grateful that my caucus is going to propose amendments."
Notley called the legislation "job killing" and she criticized Smith for how the act was written and introduced to Albertans.
For days after Smith introduced the bill, she and her cabinet members rejected accusations, including from legal and constitutional scholars, that the bill granted unchecked power.
"First she said we were wrong. Then she claimed we didn't read the bill. Then she called us fear mongers. Now, she admits there are problems while her caucus demands amendments," Notley said.
"She either got caught in her attempt to seize power and is now desperately scrambling to cover that up or she literally didn't know what was in her bill."
Several of Smith's cabinet ministers were also critical of the sovereignty act idea when they ran against her for leadership of the UCP.
Brian Jean, Rajan Sawhney and Travis Toews were all part of a group that called the proposal "unconstitutional" and a "fairy tale" in September. Last week, all said their concerns had been addressed and they supported the act.
Political scientist Duane Bratt said the whole situation is embarrassing for the new premier.
"It's surprising, for something that was her signature policy, that more care wasn't put into drafting it," he told CTV News Edmonton.
After the amendments were revealed Monday, Bratt tweeted his reaction and some pointed questions for the government.
"There are still significant problems, but these amendments address two of the most egregious clauses. Two major climb downs in a span of the week. On the premier's signature bill. Deliberate? Incompetent? Both?" he asked.
With files from The Canadian Press
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'A beautiful soul': Funeral held for baby boy killed in wrong-way crash on Highway 401
A funeral was held on Wednesday for a three-month-old boy who died after being involved in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 in Whitby last week.
Police handcuff man trying to enter Drake's Toronto mansion
Toronto police say a man was taken into custody outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion Wednesday afternoon after he tried to gain access to the residence.
Biden says he will stop sending bombs and artillery shells to Israel if they launch major invasion of Rafah
U.S. President Joe Biden said for the first time Wednesday he would halt shipments of American weapons to Israel, which he acknowledged have been used to kill civilians in Gaza, if Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu orders a major invasion of the city of Rafah.
U.S. presidential candidate RFK Jr. had a brain worm, has recovered, campaign says
Independent U.S. presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. had a parasite in his brain more than a decade ago, but has fully recovered, his campaign said, after the New York Times reported about the ailment.
What is whooping cough and should Canadians be concerned as Europe declares outbreak?
There is currently a whooping cough epidemic in Europe, with 10 times as many cases compared to the previous two years. While an outbreak has not been declared nationwide in Canada, whooping cough is regularly detected in the country.
Pfizer agrees to settle more than 10K lawsuits over Zantac cancer risk: Bloomberg News
Pfizer has agreed to settle more than 10,000 lawsuits about cancer risks related to the now discontinued heartburn drug Zantac, Bloomberg News reported on Wednesday, citing people familiar with the deal.
Quebec premier defends new museum on Quebecois nation after Indigenous criticism
Quebec Premier Francois Legault is defending his comments about a new history museum after he was accused by a prominent First Nations group of trying to erase their history.
B.C. theatre to pay $55K to neurodivergent actor in discrimination case
British Columbia's human rights tribunal has awarded a neurodigergent actor, who was diagnosed with sensory and learning disorders, more than $55,000 after finding that a Kelowna theatre company discriminated against him because of his disabilities.
Who's responsible for regulating cannabis stores operating under the sovereignty banner?
It's not quite clear who is supposed to be regulating so-called sovereign cannabis stores or even ensure they're benefiting Indigenous communities.