Alberta Premier Danielle Smith is reacting to the results of the federal election by taking a swipe at the newly elected Liberal government and promising to protect the province against “future hostile acts” from Ottawa.
In a statement Tuesday morning, Smith made her first formal comments since Prime Minister Mark Carney led the Liberals to victory Monday night.
Smith said that many voters in the conservative stronghold of Alberta are frustrated to see a return to red in Ottawa.
As the leader of the United Conservative government, Smith has often railed against how the Liberals have governed the resource-rich province and pushed for Alberta to have more independence and autonomy.
In her statement Tuesday, Smith invited Carney to improve relations between Alberta and the federal government.
“I invite the prime minister to immediately commence working with our government to reset the relationship between Ottawa and Alberta with meaningful action rather than hollow rhetoric,” Smith said.
“A large majority of Albertans are deeply frustrated that the same government that overtly attacked our provincial economy almost unabated for the past 10 years has been returned to government.”
‘Demeaned and demonized’
In her statement, Smith congratulates Carney for his “minority government election victory” before thanking Conservative Party Leader Pierre Poilievre for his “powerful and principled” advocacy for Alberta.
Smith said Poilievre remains a “true friend of Alberta.”
While Liberals and New Democrats “demeaned and demonized Albertans” on the campaign trail, Poilievre made empowering Albertans and the province’s energy sector a cornerstone of his campaign, Smith said.
“Albertans are proud Canadians that want this nation to be strong, prosperous, and united, but we will no longer tolerate having our industries threatened and our resources landlocked by Ottawa,” Smith said.
CBC News is projecting the Liberals, led by Mark Carney, will form a fourth consecutive government — though it’s not yet clear whether it will be a minority or majority. Get the latest results, news and analysis a day after the vote.
The Liberals are projected to win another term, but it’s too close to say whether it will be a minority or majority.
Elections Canada says it expects to have all the results in by this afternoon.
The Conservative Party earned the support of a large percentage of the population, leaving the Liberals with the prospect of leading a country dealing with political divides.
Conservatives are projected to win almost every one of Alberta’s 37 ridings. The only outliers are in Edmonton with Heather McPherson projected to win Edmonton Strathcona for the NDP and Eleanor Olszewski projected to win Edmonton Centre for the Liberals.
Liberal candidate Corey Hogan is projected to win over Conservative candidate Jeremy Nixon in the riding of Calgary Confederation.
Smith said her UCP government will hold a special caucus meeting to further discuss next steps. Smith said she would have more details to share following Friday’s meeting.
“In the weeks and months ahead, Albertans will have an opportunity to discuss our province’s future, assess various options for strengthening and protecting our province against future hostile acts from Ottawa, and to ultimately choose a path forward,” Smith said.
“As premier, I will facilitate and lead this discussion and process with the sincere hope of securing a prosperous future for our province within a united Canada that respects our province’s constitutional rights, facilitates rather than blocks the development and export of our abundant resources, and treats us as a valued and respected partner within confederation.”
It’s not the first time Smith, a longtime critic of former prime minister Justin Trudeau, has struck a defiant tone with Ottawa. Alberta’s UCP government has pursued a string of policies and jurisdictional court challenges aimed at strengthening Alberta’s sovereignty and resource rights.
Most recently, after a meeting with Carney in Edmonton before his campaign began, Smith made a list of public demands on Alberta’s behalf, including calls to kill the proposed greenhouse gas emissions cap. She also wants a guarantee that Alberta can freely build pipelines in every direction — ensuring Alberta full access to oil and gas corridors to the north, east, and west.
Following the March meeting, Smith told reporters that she had warned Carney that her government would no longer tolerate interference from Ottawa, and that national unity hangs in the balance.
Smith said she would strike a panel to poll Albertans on what to do if her list of demands is ignored.
Carney, meanwhile, promised to work with the oil and gas industry, expedite major resource project approvals and strengthen Canada’s industrial economy.
In his victory speech Monday night, he alluded to Alberta — as well as Saskatchewan — as a “tough” place for a Liberal politician to court votes.
Carney told his supporters that he campaigned in the west anyway, because he intends to govern for all Canadians, including those who would have hoped for a different election outcome.
“While many have chosen to place your trust in me, trust in the Liberal Party, millions of our fellow citizens preferred a different outcome,” he said.
“And my message to every Canadian is this. No matter where you live, no matter what language you speak, no matter how you voted, I will always do my best to represent everyone who calls Canada home.”
