Bell Danielle Smith punches back against Justin Trudeau — again

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Premier Danielle Smith insists she shouldn’t be searching for a battle but when Prime Minister Justin Trudeau desires to drop the gloves she is greater than able to put him in his place.

Smith, in an unique interview, makes her level clear from the get-go.

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She shouldn’t be going to tolerate Trudeau sticking his nostril into the province’s enterprise.

If Trudeau and the federal Liberal authorities wish to do an finish run across the provincial authorities and make facet offers with cities or different native governments or Alberta public sector organizations to push their agenda it is going to be a no-go.

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There might be an Alberta regulation saying there might be no offers in any respect between the feds and these teams, together with the large cities, with no thumbs-up from the province and, with out that inexperienced gentle, agreements is not going to be well worth the paper they’re written on.

“He’s the one who punches us within the nostril and we simply punch again and we’re going to maintain on punching again till he acknowledges he’s obtained to deal with us another way,” says Smith, of Trudeau.

“He ought to return and browse his structure.”

We all know the place that is going.

Smith says Trudeau has two decisions.

One is the Trudeau authorities “respecting us and dealing with us” as they do with Quebec, who has an identical regulation already on the books, and giving federal {dollars} to Alberta on a per-person foundation.

“We simply wish to be handled the identical approach as Quebec,” says Smith.

The opposite alternative is the Trudeau authorities doesn’t go that route, doesn’t work with the province and perhaps even withholds cash from Alberta after which we’re speaking a court docket battle.

From the sounds of it, extra like a brawl.

“We’ll both see them on the negotiating desk or we’ll see them in court docket,” says Smith, who shouldn’t be holding again any of her fireplace this present day.

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“Hey look, we’re not shy about taking them to court docket and we’ve had a few victories so I’m feeling fairly good if that’s the course they wish to go.”

The premier didn’t truly say: “Go forward, make my day” however you get the image.

“They’re utilizing their federal spending energy for political functions in violation of the spirit of the Structure. It’s simply blatantly political and he’s going to should put on that.”

In Calgary final week, Trudeau stated he simply desires to assist.

“Ask any Albertan if they might settle for the federal authorities saying: Hey, we’re right here from the federal authorities and we’re right here to assist. Nobody will imagine that,” says Smith.

The Alberta premier says with the Trudeau authorities “there’s at all times an angle.”

“They choose favourites. They choose winners and losers. They implement applications unfairly.”

Smith says the Trudeau authorities bases its choices on who has had essentially the most success lobbying the prime minister and it leaves many locations out within the chilly.

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The premier says Trudeau is shafting Alberta badly relating to housing {dollars}, the province is a couple of billion bucks brief by Smith’s calculation primarily based on what the feds negotiated with Quebec and B.C.

Roads and different initiatives are additionally not getting their rightful share of federal cash.

“So as to add insult to harm, we all know we’re an enormous web contributor to Confederation,” says Smith, figuring out that reality is a burr in lots of saddles.

“The federal {dollars} he’s waving round, the lion’s share of them come from Alberta after which he’s not even distributing them again pretty.”

Smith provides the Trudeau authorities generally duplicates what the province is doing and wastes cash or they dole out dough for issues not in keeping with what the province is doing “so it’s counter to what Albertans need.”

One factor the premier makes positive to say is how the feds pony up for electrical buses in Edmonton that don’t work after which are available with big money for electrical buses in Calgary.

Smith talks about how these {dollars} might have been spent to begin constructing out commuter rail or operating trains to each the large airports.

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“I don’t suppose all of those bulletins are only a measure of fine will. I believe they’re completely political and he is aware of it.”

The premier provides it seems just like the prime minister desires to be a premier as he continues to butt into areas the place the province calls the photographs.

“If he desires to be a premier then he ought to stop his job and go run to be a premier.”

In the meantime, Trudeau defends giving money to cities as a result of they “can change the best way cities are constructed.”

He talks about “higher zoning.”

In Calgary later this month, Mayor Jyoti Gondek and metropolis council will maintain a public listening to on rezoning neighbourhoods the place solely single indifferent houses are permitted.

Smith says it’s not Trudeau’s job “to dictate to municipalities what their zoning needs to be.”

“I don’t suppose most individuals would suppose that’s affordable.”

After all, what most individuals suppose is affordable doesn’t usually win the day with no battle within the Canada of Justin Trudeau.

rbell@postmedia.com

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