This week, Alberta Premier Danielle Smith invoked the Alberta Sovereignty Act. This act is intended to restrict the rights ot the Federal Government to impose restrictions or fine entities in Alberta, where there is a dispute over legislation and regulations. The invocation of the act is in relation to the requirement by the current Federal Government that the entire electricity production in Canada must be carbon neutral by 2035.
Smith has asked the Federal Government to extend that to 2050, but they have refused. Unlike many other provinces that have abundant hydroelectricity capacity or nuclear reactors, Alberta has historically relied on coal, and more recently its abundant natural gas, after PM Harper failed to stop plans to close their coal fired plants.
Alberta has minimum hydro capacity, is close to an earthquake zone making it unfit for nuclear power, and as such, and therefore would need to focus on intermittent power sources such as wind or solar. Alternatively, if it continues to engage the orthodox climate change narrative, it would need to utilize very expensive CO2 capture and sequestration. The federal government’s ideological fixation that carbon dioxide is pollution which is driving its attempt to force Alberta to reduce human caused carbon dioxide levels is far more expensive than any other province in Canada, given its reliance on efficient, effective hydrocarbon energy systems.
The requirements by the Federal Government are not finalized and will not go into effect for several years. Given the dismal standings in the pols, it is highly likely that the Liberal Party of Canada will lose the next election in 2025, and the expected victor, the Conservatives, have vowed to overturn this act and ensuing regulations. As such, it is unlikely that the Federal Act and regulations will ever come into effect.
Click below to view last week’s poll question results:
