Alberta sovereignty act damaging to business: Calgary Chamber of Commerce

The Calgary Chamber of Commerce says Alberta’s proposed sovereignty law would be harmful to businesses.

Chamber president and CEO Deborah Yedlin says the proposed legislation creates investment uncertainty and will make it difficult for Alberta businesses to attract capital.

She says it also negatively affects Alberta’s image, and will make it harder for Alberta businesses to attract young workers from other parts of the country.

On Tuesday, Alberta Premier Danielle Smith introduced her flagship bill called the Alberta Sovereignty Within a United Canada Act.

The proposed legislation would allow cabinet to order crown-controlled organizations, police, health authorities, municipalities and school boards not to enforce federal rules deemed harmful to Alberta’s interests.

Smith says the bill is needed to repair Alberta’s relationship with Ottawa and will be used to push back on issues such as fertilizer restrictions, firearms, energy and health care.

“This starts the conversation with Ottawa so they don’t continue to adopt aggressive policies that are specifically targeted at our industry and specifically at our development of our natural resources,” Premier Danielle Smith said Tuesday afternoon.

“This is not how the country is supposed to work. And that’s why we help to educate them and the rest of the country about it.”

“I hope we never have to use this account,” she also said.

1:41
‘We were ignored’: Smith defends proposed Alberta sovereignty law

Previous video

Next video

Opposition NDP MPs voted against the first reading of Bill 1 and released a statement saying the legislation would “create investment uncertainty, jeopardize federal funding agreements and jeopardize Alberta’s economic future.”

– With files from Emily Mertz, Global News