Latest news with #federaloverreach
Yahoo
9 hours ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Alberta to launch panel tour to 'chart a path forward' amid new pipeline talk
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith says a new panel will hit the road this summer with an eye on devising new measures for Alberta to assert autonomy and shield its economy from what she calls federal overreach. The "Alberta Next" panel, which was announced in May, will hold a series of in-person town halls over the summer, with exact locations to be announced in the coming weeks. It will also collect feedback through online surveys. Proposals that come out of those discussions could be put to a vote in a referendum next year. "The Alberta Next panel will put Albertans in the drivers' seat," Smith told reporters at a news conference in Heritage Park in Calgary on Tuesday. "It will give them the rightful opportunity to decide how Alberta can become stronger and more sovereign within a united Canada." Smith previously said she would chair the panel. In addition to Smith, the panel will include Environment Minister Rebecca Schulz, economist Trevor Tombe, and Adam Legge of the Business Council of Alberta, among others, with some still to be announced. Long-running face-off with Ottawa A government news release issued Tuesday stated that the panel would engage directly with Albertans to "chart a path forward for the province." Wherever that path leads will be the latest development in a years-long face-off over energy and economic policy between Alberta and Ottawa. "You know what Ottawa can't help but be fixated on? ... Punishing our energy sector and layering on policies to keep it in the ground," Smith said. WATCH | How will Alberta Next panel affect province's relationship with Ottawa?: The government said the panel would consult Albertans on subjects like the possibility of establishing an Alberta pension plan, switching to an Alberta provincial police service from the RCMP and considering potential immigration reform, among other issues. Some of the subjects echo the UCP's former Fair Deal Panel, which produced 25 recommendations, including developing a plan to withdraw from the Canada Pension Plan and creating a provincial police force. Asked by reporters Tuesday about how this effort would be different, Smith said that sometimes conversations that emerge out of the panel discussions lead to a "national dialogue." "We identified six issues that we know have come up in the previous round of the Fair Deal Panel that we think Albertans now may want to put to a referendum so that we can take some action on them," Smith said. "But there may be others, and that's what we want to be able to explore." Smith has said that her government doesn't plan on including a question on Alberta separation as a part of the 2026 referendum ballot. However, she reiterated Tuesday that citizen-initiated petitions could result in questions being added if the petitioners gather 177,000 signatures. Lori Williams, an associate professor of policy studies at Mount Royal University in Calgary, said the addition of individuals like economist Tombe and Tara Sawyer, MLA-elect for Olds-Didsbury-Three Hills, suggested a balance of voices rather than a panel predisposed to a particular outcome. However, she questioned the focus on issues such as an Alberta pension plan, which has already been studied at length. "It raises questions, from a government that says it wants to listen to Albertans, that it keeps asking questions that it has already gotten ... clear 'no' answers to," she said. Talk of new pipeline On Tuesday, Bloomberg News reported that Smith told the news agency in an interview that she expected a private company would bring forward a proposal to build a new oil pipeline to the British Columbia coast within weeks. Smith has not named the company and no firm has yet publicly committed to the idea. Asked by reporters at Tuesday's news conference about that report, Smith said she had been talking with all of the pipeline companies since she was elected. "I feel like we're pretty close to having, either one or a consortium come forward," she said. "I would hope that that would happen very soon, because we need to send a signal to Albertans very soon and test the new process the prime minister is putting forward." Last week, the Liberal government's major projects legislation passed in the House of Commons. It aims to reduce interprovincial trade barriers and speed up approvals for major projects in the national interest. Specific projects haven't yet been identified, however Prime Minister Mark Carney has said decarbonized oil pipelines are "absolutely" in the national interest and would support both trade diversification and new industry development. WATCH | MPs push through Carney's major projects bill before summer break: Currently, the federally-owned Trans Mountain pipeline carries crude oil from Alberta to the West Coast. But Smith has been vocal about potentially revisiting a plan to ship oilsands crude to the northern B.C. coast, telling reporters at the Global Energy Show earlier this month that the province was working to entice a private-sector pipeline builder. Smith has suggested that Prince Rupert, B.C., could work as a potential end point for the pipeline. Plans for the proposed Northern Gateway pipeline to export crude oil near Kitimat, B.C., were scrapped in 2016 following a court ruling that determined Ottawa failed to properly consult First Nations affected by the pipeline. With talk of a revival of such plans on the radar, B.C. Premier David Eby said earlier this week that he opposed public funding for an oil pipeline to the north coast, but added he wasn't against a privately-backed option. "What I don't support is tens of billions of dollars in federal subsidy going to build this new pipeline when we already own a pipeline [Trans Mountain] that empties into British Columbia and has significant additional capacity — 200,000 barrels," Eby said on Sunday.
CBC
14 hours ago
- Business
- CBC
Alberta government to launch sovereignty panel tour amid talk of new pipeline
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith says a new panel will hit the road this summer with an eye on devising new measures for Alberta to assert autonomy and shield its economy from what she calls federal overreach. The "Alberta Next" panel, which was announced in May, will hold a series of in-person town halls over the summer, with exact locations to be announced in the coming weeks. It will also collect feedback through online surveys. Proposals that come out of those discussions could be put to a vote in a referendum next year. "The Alberta Next panel will put Albertans in the drivers' seat," Smith told reporters at a news conference in Heritage Park in Calgary on Tuesday. "It will give them the rightful opportunity to decide how Alberta can become stronger and more sovereign within a united Canada." Smith previously said she would chair the panel. In addition to Smith, the panel will include Environment Minister Rebecca Schulz, economist Trevor Tombe, and Adam Legge of the Business Council of Alberta, among others, with some still to be announced. The government said the panel would consult Albertans on subjects like the possibility of establishing an Alberta pension plan, switching to an Alberta provincial police service from the RCMP and considering potential immigration reform, among other issues. Some of the subjects echo the UCP's former Fair Deal Panel, which produced 25 recommendations, including developing a plan to withdraw from the Canada Pension Plan and creating a provincial police force. Asked by reporters Tuesday about how this effort would be different, Smith said that sometimes conversations that emerge out of the panel discussions lead to a "national dialogue." "We identified six issues that we know have come up in the previous round of the Fair Deal Panel that we think Albertans now may want to put to a referendum so that we can take some action on them," Smith said. "But there may be others, and that's what we want to be able to explore." Talk of new pipeline On Tuesday, Bloomberg News reported that Smith told the news agency in an interview that she expected a private company would bring forward a proposal to build a new oil pipeline to the British Columbia coast within weeks. Smith has not named the company and no firm has yet publicly committed to the idea. Asked by reporters at Tuesday's news conference about that report, Smith said she had been talking with all of the pipeline companies since she was elected. "I feel like we're pretty close to having, either one or a consortium come forward," she said. "I would hope that that would happen very soon, because we need to send a signal to Albertans very soon and test the new process the prime minister is putting forward." Last week, the Liberal government's major projects legislation passed in the House of Commons. It aims to reduce interprovincial trade barriers and speed up approvals for major projects in the national interest. Specific projects haven't yet been identified, however Prime Minister Mark Carney has said decarbonized oil pipelines are "absolutely" in the national interest and would support both trade diversification and new industry development. MPs push through Carney's major projects bill before summer break 4 days ago Duration 1:52 Liberal and Conservative MPs teamed up to ram through Prime Minister Mark Carney's contentious Bill C-5 before Parliament rose for the summer. The legislation allows the fast-tracking of major economic projects but limits the consultation process. Currently, the federally-owned Trans Mountain pipeline carries crude oil from Alberta to the West Coast. But Smith has been vocal about potentially revisiting a plan to ship oilsands crude to the northern B.C. coast, telling reporters at the Global Energy Show earlier this month that the province was working to entice a private-sector pipeline builder. Smith has suggested that Prince Rupert, B.C., could work as a potential end point for the pipeline. Plans for the proposed Northern Gateway pipeline to export crude oil near Kitimat, B.C., were scrapped in 2016 following a court ruling that determined Ottawa failed to properly consult First Nations affected by the pipeline. With talk of a revival of such plans on the radar, B.C. Premier David Eby said earlier this week that he opposed public funding for an oil pipeline to the north coast, but added he wasn't against a privately-backed option. "What I don't support is tens of billions of dollars in federal subsidy going to build this new pipeline when we already own a pipeline [Trans Mountain] that empties into British Columbia and has significant additional capacity — 200,000 barrels," Eby said on Sunday.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Oregon lawmakers consider strengthening National Guard oversight
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – Oregon lawmakers are considering a bill aiming to strengthen the state's oversight of the Oregon National Guard amid 'increasing instances of federal overreach,' when deploying the military, Oregon House Democrats announced Tuesday. In April, Representatives Paul Evans (D-Monmouth), Dacia Grayber (D-SW Portland) and Willy Chotzen (D-SE Portland), introduced House Bill 3954, which would create limits on when and how the National Guard can be mobilized for federal service. In a press release announcing the bill, the House Democrats said the bill would protect the integrity and readiness of Oregon's forces. Architectural Digest names Oregon coast town among best in the U.S. 'The Governor of Oregon should have a ready, reliable National Guard for answering catastrophic disasters. The National Guard is really a partnership. There are missions the National Guard can, and should, fulfill as a part of our National Defense Forces Structure. There are also some missions, the current president has talked about, that are not an appropriate fit for National Guard personnel. The bill merely clarifies the expectations of the Governor in an availability status of the National Guard, and of National Guard personnel on what duties they may and may not be called to perform,' said Rep. Evans. Under the bill, the Adjutant General would be banned from authorizing any deployment that compromises the Oregon National Guard's ability to respond to in-state emergencies, such as wildfires, earthquakes and public safety threats. The bill states that the Adjutant General cannot assist, facilitate or allow communications between the Department of Defense and individual service members or units of the Oregon National Guard for active service unless for certain reasons — including, a congressionally authorized military contingency, in support of a national catastrophe, or in support of another state or territory with permission from the governor or executive civil authority. Oregon chef, bakery take home trophies from esteemed James Beard Awards The bill comes as President Trump mobilized California's National Guard last week amid protests over the administration's immigration enforcement — a move the Oregon House Democrats called 'politicized deployment.' 'We should use our state's resources to serve our state's needs. At a time when the president is weaponizing the National Guard against U.S. citizens, this bill is aimed at ensuring that the Oregon National Guard is used lawfully and in service of all Oregonians,' said Rep. Chotzen. 'Deploying the military against our country's citizens is an affront to our democratic principles,' Rep. Grayber added. 'Ensuring that the Guard can only be mobilized in keeping with their congressionally-authorized functions is a common-sense safeguard to ensure separation of responsibility between our military and our local law enforcement.' The bill passed out of the House Rules Committee on Tuesday in a 4-2 vote and now heads to the House floor for consideration by the full chamber. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now When reached for comment on the bill, a spokesperson for the Oregon Military Department emphasized the department's unbiased position in policymaking, stating, 'The military is bipartisan. We support and defend the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the State of Oregon. It is up to our elected officials to pass laws, who were duly elected by the people. The Oregon National Guard's job is to protect Oregonians and defend America.' Meanwhile, a spokesperson for Oregon Governor Tina Kotek's Office told KOIN 6, 'The Governor will review all bills passed by the legislature that reach her desk for signature.' KOIN 6 News also reached out to House Republican Leader Christine Drazan (R-Canby) for comment on the bill. This story will be updated if we receive a response. 'Luxury' apartments deceived low-income seniors, Washington attorney general alleges As the bill makes its way through the Oregon legislature, California Gov. Gavin Newsom is challenging the Trump administration's deployment of the National Guard and Marines to Los Angeles — filing a lawsuit alleging the president breached state sovereignty and wasted resources, as reported by the Associated Press. Newsom's lawsuit was supported in a legal brief by a handful of state attorneys general, including Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield, who described the deployment by the Trump administration as unconstitutional. 'Our Guard members aren't tools for political theater – they're trusted partners in our day-to-day public safety,' said Attorney General Dan Rayfield. 'This attempted power grab undermines the state's ability to respond to disasters and protect citizens. It's not just unconstitutional – it's a threat to the systems we rely on.' Last week U.S. District Judge Charles Breyer in San Francisco ruled that the administration violated Title 10, which allows the president to call the National Guard into federal service if the country is invaded or there is rebellion against the government. However, that decision was taken to a federal appeals court, which heard arguments on whether the trump administration should return control of the National Guard troops to California on Tuesday. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
