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Time of India
16-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
What is the Free Alberta Strategy that is fueling separatism from Canada? Could Alberta become a new country?
Danielle Smith's push for Alberta separation is deeply rooted in oil politics, not just alienation- In the days following Mark Carney's election as Canada's new prime minister, Alberta Premier Danielle Smith wasted no time in rolling out dramatic political changes. Among the most striking? Making it easier to hold a referendum — a move that could open the door for a vote on Alberta's separation from Canada. Smith says this is about 'alienation.' But look closer, and it's clear the driving force is Alberta's oil and gas industry — and a political strategy built years ago around protecting it. That strategy, known as the Free Alberta Strategy, is now at the core of Smith's rhetoric. And it's shaping Alberta's relationship with the rest of Canada in ways that could carry serious consequences. Is Alberta's separation debate really about oil, not national unity? The idea that Alberta is being unfairly treated by Ottawa isn't new. But this time, the movement comes with an organized, oil-driven political plan. The Free Alberta Strategy, co-written by Smith's chief of staff Rob Anderson, U of C professor Barry Cooper, and lawyer Derek From, calls on the province to take major steps to reduce its ties to the federal government. That includes creating its own police force, leaving the Canada Pension Plan, and opting out of any federal program seen as interfering with Alberta's control over its resources. Continue to video 5 5 Next Stay Playback speed 1x Normal Back 0.25x 0.5x 1x Normal 1.5x 2x 5 5 / Skip Ads by by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Top 10 Most Beautiful Women In The World OMGIFacts Undo Anderson and his co-authors claimed in 2021 that Alberta's treatment within Canada had become 'intolerable,' blaming Ottawa for launching an 'assault' on Alberta's most valuable sector — oil and gas. Smith, a long-time ally of Anderson, brought this strategy with her into power and has been following it closely ever since. What is the Free Alberta Strategy, and how is it shaping policy? The Free Alberta Strategy isn't just an idea — it's a working plan. Its first priority was the Alberta Sovereignty Act, which Smith introduced as her very first legislative move. That was only the beginning. Live Events The next steps in the plan included pulling Alberta out of the Canada Pension Plan, creating a provincial police force, and challenging federal control over everything from environmental regulations to education. While the pension plan idea hasn't gained traction and the police force plan is moving slowly, the UCP government has made it clear that the fight is focused on energy. A key example is Alberta's Critical Infrastructure Defence Act, which has been amended to try and block federal employees from entering facilities that track emissions data — even if those facilities are privately owned. Alberta has also taken the federal government to court over clean electricity rules and is demanding major rollbacks on federal climate and energy laws — including a complete overhaul of the equalization system, which Alberta ties closely to its oil wealth. Why is Danielle Smith blaming Ottawa for Alberta's energy struggles? Oil and gas still drive Alberta's economy. A $1 shift in the price of oil can mean a swing of $750 million in the province's budget. Smith knows this — and she's leaning heavily on that fact to justify her political stance. Smith argues that Ottawa is holding Alberta back through laws like the Impact Assessment Act, carbon tax policies, and the oil tanker ban on the B.C. coast. She's called on the Carney government to roll back nine federal laws and regulations, all of which affect oil and gas development. Her list includes: Repealing federal environmental assessments Removing the B.C. tanker ban Scrapping the federal clean electricity plan Ending the proposed emissions cap for oil and gas Eliminating net-zero mandates for vehicles Returning carbon tax control to the provinces Removing the 'toxic' label from plastics Protecting pipelines through guaranteed economic corridors Ending what she called 'federal censorship of energy companies' Almost every demand is tied to Alberta's oil and gas sector. Could Alberta separation efforts backfire on the oil industry? Danielle Smith's government insists this is about protecting Alberta's prosperity. But experts say the move could backfire — especially if Alberta were to seriously pursue separation. In a May 5 speech, Smith criticized Canada's current energy policies, saying: 'We have the most abundant and accessible natural resources of any country on Earth, and yet we landlock them... while enabling polluting dictatorships to eat our lunch.' But if Alberta actually separates from Canada, the problem of being landlocked could get even worse. The province would no longer have access to the national infrastructure or interprovincial support it needs to move oil and gas to other markets. It might even become more reliant on the U.S. — the 'single customer' Smith herself criticized. As political scientist Jared Wesley pointed out, Smith's list of demands doesn't reflect a national consensus. Instead, they could stir up deeper frustrations, especially if they fail — making separation talk even more volatile. Who is behind Alberta's separation talk, and where does Smith stand? Alberta's frustrations with Ottawa go back over a century. But what's different now is the level of support those feelings are getting from the provincial government. Smith succeeded Jason Kenney, a federalist who helped create the United Conservative Party but was later pushed out by more hardline elements. Smith and her advisor Rob Anderson belong to that outer flank — the side of the party that sees Ottawa as hostile and believes in taking extreme measures to protect Alberta's energy wealth. In a recent post, University of Calgary political scientist Lisa Young described today's Alberta separatists in three groups: True believers who want Alberta to become an independent conservative haven Instrumentalists who use separation threats to win concessions — similar to Quebec Skeptics who are loyal to Canada but see the debate as a negotiating tactic The Free Alberta Strategy dismisses that last group as 'well-meaning and sincere,' but says they 'have not learned from history.' Where does Smith fall? It's not clear if she truly wants to separate or is using the threat to pressure the federal government. Either way, the stakes are high, and the timing — during a growing trade war with the U.S. — adds even more uncertainty. What's next for Alberta as it doubles down on oil? Smith's government continues to shift Alberta's energy priorities. The province is scaling back support for renewable energy, pushing for more natural gas use, and reviewing its industrial carbon tax. These changes go beyond resisting Ottawa — they represent a complete shift in how Alberta wants to power its future. But at what cost? In her address, Smith warned of those who would try to 'divide' Albertans. Yet her government's approach suggests there's only one vision for Alberta, one that centers on oil and gas. Disagree with it, and you're seen as part of the problem. Smith summed up her view with one line: 'Albertans are more of an 'actions speak louder than words' kind of people.' So far, her government's actions — and the direction of the Free Alberta Strategy — speak louder than any speech. FAQs: Q1: What is Danielle Smith's main goal with the Free Alberta Strategy? To protect Alberta's oil and gas industry from federal climate and energy policies. Q2: Why is Alberta threatening separation from Canada? Alberta feels Ottawa is hurting its economy, especially oil and gas, and wants more control.
CBC
19-03-2025
- Politics
- CBC
Alberta wants to use critical infrastructure defence law to block emissions data from Ottawa
Social Sharing The Alberta government says it will propose amendments to the Critical Infrastructure Defence Act that it says would act as a repellent against "unconstitutional federal overreach," but it remains unclear how enforcement of those measures would play out in practice. Alberta's Critical Infrastructure Defence Act was first introduced in 2020 as a response to rail blockade protesters, aiming to protect essential "infrastructure," such as pipelines, highways and railways, making it illegal to block, damage or interfere with those sites. The law has long been controversial amongst civil rights advocates and legal experts. The Alberta Union of Public Employees launched a constitutional challenge of the bill, though the Alberta Court of Appeal dismissed the claim in December 2021. Now, the Alberta government wants to clarify the act to: Explicitly state that it applies to the government of Canada. Update the definition of "essential infrastructure" to add facilities where oil and gas production and emissions data and records are held. Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, Premier Danielle Smith said the amendments were tied to an Alberta Sovereignty within a United Canada Act motion, passed in December 2024. It's the latest in a long line of dust-ups and lawsuits between Alberta and Ottawa that some in the oilpatch have said is causing uncertainty in the oil and gas sector. "Alberta will continue in its pursuit of doubling our oil and gas production to meet the growing global demand for energy, and we will not let Ottawa stand in our way," Smith said, framing it as a broader resistance against the federal government's environmental regulations and a warning against Prime Minister Mark Carney adopting past policies. "We will not tolerate the continuous, unconstitutional overreaches made by the federal Liberal government." The intent of the Alberta Sovereignty Act is to allow the province to declare federal laws unconstitutional or harmful, while issuing orders to provincial entities to not comply with federal rules. Oil and gas cap long contentious One of the most contentious fights between Alberta and Ottawa has been over the proposed federal emissions cap. In November, federal draft regulations that would require oil and gas producers in Canada to limit greenhouse gas emissions to 35 per cent below 2019 levels led Smith to signal her government's intent to table the Sovereignty Act motion. According to the province, the amendments proposed today are intended to assist with the implementation of the Sovereignty Act motion to address the federal government's proposed regulations. The motion included an assertion of Alberta's jurisdiction over the "exploration, development, conservation, management and production" of non-renewable natural resources in Alberta. It also designated emissions data as proprietary information owned exclusively by the Alberta government. It also prohibits site visits by federal employees or contractors without provincial authorization, though provincial officials were vague on Wednesday about how or whether that would be enforced. "We would just really hope that people in the federal government abide by … in respect to property owners and property rights," Public Safety Minister Mike Ellis said. In November, former federal Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault criticized the proposed Sovereignty Act motion, telling reporters at the time that the restrictions on emissions reporting would be a "violation of federal laws." "Companies already have to report to the federal government … in terms of their emissions. There are certain thresholds. If companies stop reporting to the federal government, they would be in violation of federal laws," Guilbeault said in November. "Something that I certainly wouldn't advise to any large companies, especially oil and gas companies." On Wednesday, Smith was asked by a reporter whether the current emissions reporting process involves federal officials needing to physically enter private facilities. She referenced a 2022 incident in which the Saskatchewan government alleged federal scientists purposely trespassed on private farmland to test water samples. "This is already been demonstrated in the past that there have been issues, and we just are anticipating that if there are future issues, we're closing that door," Smith said. Guilbeault has said that the Saskatchewan incident was mischaracterized. Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, Alberta NDP Leader Naheed Nenshi characterized the effort as "bad performative actions." "There was nothing in the Sovereignty Act that did anything except for barring employees from entering private lands, which is illegal and unconstitutional. I'm reasonably sure the province hasn't even tried to do it," Nenshi said. "So again, performance, performance, performance. Let's make some deals." Smith's government has said it is determined to protect Alberta's jurisdiction over its natural resources and says the federal emissions cap could lead to a mandated production cut. Border in focus Alberta also said it would combine the definitions of "essential infrastructure" in one place, having previously designated the two-kilometre "red zone" north of the Montana border as essential infrastructure through regulation in January. Today's announcement would bring it under the Critical Infrastructure Defense Act itself. In December, in anticipation of tariffs threatened by then-U.S. president-elect Donald Trump, Alberta announced a $29-million border security plan, which included the Interdiction Patrol Team, under the command of the Alberta Sheriffs. The IPT is equipped with the power to make arrests without a warrant in the "red zone." Earlier this month, the province said that 20 members of the Alberta Sheriffs have been assigned to the IPT, and that it had conducted three arrests related to possession of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking, and had assisted with four northbound unauthorized border crossings. Life along the fence: How Alberta-Montana border residents feel about new security measures 13 days ago Duration 8:34 Southern Alberta residents living along the Canada-U.S. border have seen increased activity along the boundary since new security measures from both Canada and Alberta were implemented. The suite of measures were introduced after U.S. President Donald Trump threatened to slap tariffs on Canadian goods until the cross-border flow of fentanyl into the U.S. "stops, or is seriously limited" — a threat that has since launched a trade war between the U.S. and its neighbouring countries. Residents on both sides of the Alberta-Montana border spoke to CBC about how their lives have been impacted since this change. Last month, CBC News visited both sides of the border, where residents in once-quiet communities voiced unease about whether the heightened security measures reflected the actual risks at the border. At the same time, officials argued that the increased border security measures were necessary to combat illegal crossings, human trafficking and drug smuggling. U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) data showed the agency seized 9,570 kg of fentanyl at the country's southern border with Mexico in the 2024 fiscal year, compared to 19.5 kg at the northern one. In the Havre Sector in Montana, CBP seized less than two kilograms of fentanyl in 2024, and so far in fiscal year 2025, the sector has seized less than 0.2 kg.
