Bell: Smith huffs and puffs but is not ready to unload on Trudeau

Mar 18, 2023

Here we go. Round Two.

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If words actually packed a punch, we’d have a hell of a fight.

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But we have words.

How does it go?

"Sticks and stones may break my bones but names will never hurt me."

Premier Danielle Smith sounds unhappy, mighty unhappy.

"Everything I have done to this point has been in response to what I have seen as a hostile federal government invading our jurisdiction."

She is reported to be tired of Alberta being "the punching bag" of the federal government.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has a plan for a so-called "just transition" from oilpatch jobs to greener jobs.

Trudeau's people tell us it is not the first great leap to an oilpatch apocalypse.

Of course, Smith isn't buying it.

She says the term "just transition" is about eliminating jobs in the patch.

She says it is "a social justice term."

For the premier, Trudeau is "virtue-signalling to an extreme base advocating to shut down oil and natural gas."

"Trudeau wants to phase out the oilsands eventually," says Smith.

"He looks at it as an inevitability. We don't look at it that way, not at all."

Smith believes this is a "targeted attack" on the oilpatch and she's taking Trudeau "seriously."

She says Ottawa setting targets on emissions too aggressive and over too short a time to be achieved amounts to a cut in oil production.

That is, says Smith, a violation of Alberta's constitutional right to develop the province's resources.

So what is Smith going to do? Alberta has talked tough before.

Many, many, many times before.

Remember the premier has the nuclear option from her successful UCP leadership campaign, the sovereignty act, the Tell Trudeau To Go to Hell Act, where the province will do as it sees fit.

Smith says her government will come up with their own plan to reduce emissions and "then we’ll be prepared, if we have to, to have them take us to court to fight it out."

"I believe if it came down to a court fight, we’d win it."

A newshound asks about the sovereignty act.

The Smith government hasn't decided to use it on anything.

Smith says she has to see what Trudeau has planned. Again, his people keep saying the scheme will not be a job killer.

Again, Smith is not buying.

Until we find out what's what, the premier is "disappointed" with the Trudeau government.

They say they didn't want a fight and yet "they’re continuing to make announcements without consulting with us."

Like that's a surprise?

"For them to just come out of the blue with this legislation without calling us, that, to me, is provocative."

Provocative indeed.

Yes, the Alberta Sovereignty Within a United Canada Act. She rallied people to her UCP leadership cause flexing that brainwave of supposed political muscle.

And, after a rocky rollout with many twists and turns, it is now on the books.

"We have demonstrated we are putting up a shield so they stop doing this," says Smith, of the Trudeau government and its "just transition."

"That's what we had hoped, that they would take it in the spirit it's intended, which is don't pass legislation or announce legislation in our areas of jurisdiction.

"I’m not very impressed with the way this new year has started."

This is exactly how those who’ve read their history books bet the new year would start.

In this game of political poker, the others at the table want to see Alberta's cards.

After all, Smith promised a whole new tougher way of dealing with Ottawa.

So, when will we see some action?

"It depends on how far the prime minister is prepared to go in pushing us."

Smith says she can work with some in Trudeau's inner circle.

"I’m just going to keep on working in that vein until we see what kind of legislation comes forward."

Again, she wants the feds "to stop using the social justice language of just transition because we all know what that means. It means phasing out oil and natural gas workers, and that is not on."

Smith feels there's a little politicking being pulled by Trudeau.

The PM and the oil crowd are pushing Alberta to pony up more dough for carbon capture and storage, something they will likely do.

Let us finish this column mentioning how Smith lists several ways Alberta has been attacked by Ottawa, ending with Trudeau not allowing Alberta to back out of the carbon tax.

"How many hits can Alberta take before we stay stop, put up a shield and start pushing back?" asks the premier.

Now that's a hell of a question.

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