Alberta to Defy Canada Power Rules
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith invoked the Sovereignty Within a United Canada Act on Monday to defend the province from what she describes as the federal government’s disastrous program to mandate a net-zero electricity grid by 2035.
This resolution directly challenges the federal government’s proposed clean electricity regulations.
We are left with no choice but to create a shield to protect Albertans from Ottawa’s dangerous and unconstitutional electricity regulations.
Smith added that the Alberta government refuses to put the stability of the province’s electricity grid at risk.
The Alberta government wanted to collaborate with the federal government to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050, a goal that Smith and electrical companies felt was achievable. However, that collaboration was upended when the federal government decided it would enforce a much shorter deadline under threat of penalties should provinces disobey.
The federal government remains committed to an absurdly unrealistic and unattainable goal of a net-zero power grid by 2035.
In a press conference, Premier Smith and Minister of Affordability and Utilities Nathan Neudorf emphasized that the resolution is being implemented as a last resort. Neudorf said that Alberta should not have had to take this step.
Unfortunately, Ottawa has yet to truly demonstrate that they are willing to work with us and listen to our realities.
The resolution also proposes exploring the establishment of a provincial Crown corporation to maintain grid reliability. This body would not recognize the CERs and could potentially assume responsibility for electricity generation in Alberta should federal policies deter private entities.
These measures are not something that we want to do. They are planning to counteract the absurd, illogical, unscientific and unconstitutional interference in Alberta’s electrical grid by a federal government that simply doesn’t care what happens to our province, so long as they have a good virtue signalling story to tell their leftist friends.
Premier Smith said that Alberta wants private sector operators to build the province more baseload power. Her government also wants the private sector to come forward with natural gas and nuclear power generation plans.