Kaycee Madu says sovereignty act not a power grab, eyes changes to bill

Alberta’s deputy premier says the proposed sovereignty law does not give cabinet unilateral power to rewrite laws behind closed doors, but amendments may be needed to clarify it.

Kaycee Madu, in a post on Twitter, says the legislation clarifies that any law cabinet changes must go back to the house for final approval in the form of a bill.

However, the law does not state this and legal experts say the overriding power it will give to the cabinet together with a lack of legislative oversight is democratically dangerous.

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

Under the law, the cabinet must get majority support from the house in a resolution to fight back against what the cabinet believes is unconstitutional federal intrusion into provincial territories.

Once Smith and her cabinet get that go-ahead, they are free to rewrite laws and order provincial public agencies to ignore federal laws and policies without any further input or oversight from the House.

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Concerns, confusion about the scope of the Sovereignty Act powers

Martin Olszynski, professor of administrative law, says Madu’s allegations do not make sense. And, he says, if the legislature and the legislative process are to remain the same, why does the United Conservative government need such a bill to act?

Smith’s other deputy premier, Nathan Neudorf, says he believes legislative safeguards are in place but has not read the eight-page bill.

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Alberta introduces Sovereignty Act bill. What does the proposed new legislation mean?