Alberta
“All talk, no action”. Alberta government not nearly aggressive enough against Ottawa – Project Confederation
This article is submitted by Josh Andrus, Executive Director of Project Confederation
The Alberta Legislature finished for the year on Tuesday and the theme of the session might as well have been “all talk, no action”.
Despite wave after wave of relentless attacks from a hostile federal government in Ottawa, precious little progress has been made to stand up for Alberta.
Given Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and the Liberal government have their foot on the throat of our energy sector, a strong response from the provincial government should be expected, right?
Well, so far we haven’t seen one.
Maybe Alberta’s response is still being worked on, but why the delay?
It’s not like this was unexpected…
The fall federal election gave us an early taste of what was in store.
All five major parties effectively campaigned to end new energy development in Canada and transition to a net-zero future.
Perhaps the most telling moment was when even the Conservatives refused to show their support for Alberta’s oil and gas industry.
During the English language debate, Bloc Quebecois leader Yves-François Blanchet forced Conservative leader Erin O’Toole to reiterate a promise he’d made at the French debate – that, if elected, the Conservatives would not allow a pipeline to be built through Quebec.
The statement from O’Toole was simple: “We’re not going to let that happen.”
Now re-elected to what barely passes for a mandate – 32.3% of the vote with just a 62.3% turnout – the federal Liberal government is preparing to entirely dismantle Canada’s energy sector.
The Alberta government did finally hold their long-promised referendum on equalization – something that more than two years ago, we suggested should have been held immediately.
Alberta has lost a net $600 billion dollars since 1957, with over $240 billion of that leaving Alberta in just the past 13 years, and 61.7% of voters voted in favour of removing the principle of equalization from the constitution of Canada.
The provincial government then introduced a motion in the Legislature to recognize the result of the referendum, a necessary.
But they seemed to treat it as more of a marketing opportunity than the first step to kick off negotiations with Ottawa, timing the passage of the motion to coincide with Premier Kenney’s speech at the UCP AGM, rather than when it would have made the most waves in the media and in Ottawa.
Trudeau, therefore, was able to easily dismiss the referendum out of hand and his flippant response to Albertans’ clear frustration was just the first slight from Trudeau.
As the Alberta government held a press conference to announce the official referendum results, Trudeau rolled out his cabinet, installing radical environmentalist Steven Guilbeault as the new Minister of Environment and Climate Change.
Let’s be clear, none of this is about reducing emissions or responding to climate change.
This is about power.
This is about wealth and this is about kneecapping a region of the country that refuses to get on board with the Liberal’s radical tax-and-spend agenda.
The Liberals’ contingent at the COP26 Glasgow Climate Change summit made it clear that Western Canada’s energy industry will be maimed – all for the noble cause of “saving the world.”
Trudeau and his team upped the ante by announcing that Canada would cap oil and gas emissions and put Canada on a path to net-zero by 2050.
Former Parti Quebecois leader Jean-François Lisée made this point clear when he decided it was high time to publish an op-ed entitled “What Alberta Owes Us,” wherein he declared that Alberta doesn’t pay Quebec enough!
If Ottawa were honest about their intentions to save the climate, they would also be pointing their guns at Canada’s other heavily emitting industries.
“Ottawa will cap emissions from the oil and gas sector,” said Guilbeault upon his appointment.
“We’re not doing that with any other sectors — not steel, not the auto industry, forestry, cement,” he added.
That’s right, he didn’t just single out oil and gas in the regulations, he also actually bragged about it.
Not concrete. Not the auto industry. Not forestry. Not cement. Just oil and gas.
Premier Kenney had a brief moment where he came to the defence of Alberta, after David Suzuki warned at an Extinction Rebellion rally that “there are going to be pipelines blown up if our leaders don’t pay attention to what’s going on.”
Kenney’s response was well-put, so let’s give credit where credit is due:
“Regrettably, we know that there are people to whom he is speaking who believe that the end of, in their view, saving the planet justifies virtually any means, including violence. We do know. I mean, the term ‘eco terrorism’ is not some kind of a conservative talking point – it’s a reflection of a philosophy and real actions that have really taken lives.”
But again, it’s words, not action.
A couple of strongly-worded statements and/or motions in the Legislature won’t cut it in the face of a series of major political attacks from Ottawa.
When the Legislature returns, we need action.
Action on a provincial police force, action on equalization, action on pensions, action on pipelines.
Albertans want action and Project Confederation is ready to take action.
In the new year, we’ll be returning to organizing in-person meetings and events across the province, to build up teams of activists and volunteers who are ready to push for real action.
If you’re ready to get involved, please click here to sign up to volunteer.
If you can help fund these events, and our ongoing activism work, please click here to make a donation.
From the Fraser Institute
By Tegan Hill
According to last week’s fiscal update, the Smith government recorded a $8.3 billion surplus in 2024/25—$8 billion more than what the government projected in its original 2024 budget. But the good times won’t last forever.
Due largely to population growth, personal income tax revenue exceeded budget projections by $500 million. Business tax revenue exceeded budget expectations by $1.1 billion. And critically, thanks to relatively strong oil prices, resource revenue (e.g. oil and gas royalties) saw a $4.7 billion jump.
The large budget surplus is good news, particularly as it will be used to pay down government debt (which taxpayers must ultimately finance) and to invest for the future. But again, the good times could soon be over.
Recall, the Alberta government incurred a $17.0 billion budget deficit just a few years ago in 2020/21. And it wasn’t only due to COVID—until the recent string of surpluses, the government ran deficits almost every year since 2008/09, racking up significant amounts of debt, which still largely persists today. As a result, provincial government debt interest payments cost each Albertan $658 in 2024/25. Moreover, in February’s budget, the Smith government projected more deficits over the next three years.
Generally, Alberta’s fiscal fortunes follow the price of oil. Over the past decade, for example, resource revenue has been as low as $2.8 billion in 2015/16, while oil prices slumped to $US45.00 per barrel, and as high as $25.2 billion in 2022/23, when oil prices jumped to $US89.69 per barrel.
Put simply, resource revenue volatility fuels Alberta’s boom-and-bust cycle. In 2025/26, the West Texas Intermediate oil price will be a projected $US68.00 per barrel with projected resource revenue falling by $4.9 billion year-over-year.
But oil prices don’t need to dictate Alberta’s fiscal fortune. Indeed, if the Smith government restrains its spending, it can avoid deficits even when resource revenues fall.
There are plenty of ways to rein in spending. For instance, the government spends billions of dollars in subsidies (a.k.a. corporate welfare) to select industries and businesses in Alberta every year despite a significant body of research that shows these subsidies fail to generate widespread economic benefit. Eliminating these subsidies is a clear first step to deliver significant savings.
The budget surplus is undoubtedly positive for Albertans, but the good times could soon come to an end. To avoid deficits and debt accumulation moving forward, the Smith government should rein in spending.
Tegan Hill
Director, Alberta Policy, Fraser Institute
Sat Parhar has been appointed as the first chief of the Independent Agency Police Service, marking the next step toward a new municipal policing option.
The appointment of a new chief for the Independent Agency Police Service (IAPS) marks the next step in giving municipalities a new option for local policing and builds on the work already underway for the agency to assume the police-like duties currently carried out by the Alberta Sheriffs. The IAPS will empower municipalities to adopt strategies that effectively respond to their specific safety concerns, enhancing public safety across the province.
Chief Parhar brings more than 25 years of policing experience, including senior roles with the Calgary Police Service, most recently as deputy chief. His frontline policing experience and deep understanding of Alberta’s complex and diverse public safety landscape positions him to lead the agency as it takes shape and begins its work as a new municipal policing option, keeping communities safe.
Once operational, the agency will strengthen Alberta’s existing policing model and complement the province’s current police services, which includes the RCMP, Indigenous policing services and municipal police. It will help fill gaps and ensure law enforcement resources are deployed efficiently to meet Alberta’s evolving public safety needs and improve law enforcement response times, particularly in rural communities.
“Appointing Chief Sat Parhar is a key milestone in Alberta’s plan to give municipalities a real choice in how their communities are kept safe. This is about building a modern police service that reflects the priorities of Albertans, strengthens local decision-making, and ensures every corner of our province, especially rural areas, can count on responsive, effective law enforcement. With his decades of experience and deep understanding of Alberta’s policing landscape, he is the right leader to bring this vision to life.”
“This appointment signifies a significant step forward in our efforts to establish a more robust, community-focused policing model that is better equipped to meet the unique needs of our local residents. Under Chief Parhar’s visionary leadership, we are confident that we will develop a modern, efficient police service that not only enhances public safety but also aligns closely with the priorities and values of Albertans. His experience and commitment are vital in shaping an IAPS that is responsive, transparent, and dedicated to fostering trust and collaboration within the community, ultimately ensuring a safer and more connected society for all.”
Chief Parhar’s immediate priorities will be to hire an executive team and commence organizational planning such as developing key recruitment, training and other operational policies. Chief Parhar’s appointment is the first step of many to establishing the IAPS.
“It’s an honour to take on this role and help shape a modern police service built for Alberta. My focus from day one will be on setting high standards for professionalism, building strong relationships with our partners and ensuring this service reflects the needs and priorities of the communities we serve.”
The Independent Agency Police Service was formally created through regulation following the passing of Public Safety Statutes Amendment Act, 2024. The agency will operate as an independent Crown corporation, and will be renamed the Alberta Sheriffs Police Service, with its head office located in Calgary. The IAPS will be operationally independent from the provincial government with civilian oversight, consistent with all police services in Alberta.
“When it comes to policing, municipalities like ours deserve a choice – especially when the current system leaves us disadvantaged simply because of our size. We look forward to learning more about what that alternative will look like once an Alberta police agency is fully established and the options are clear. For us, this is about fairness, sustainability, and ensuring municipalities have access to policing solutions that reflect both their needs and their realities.”
Quick facts
- The regulation establishes the IAPS Provincial Corporation and its governance structure including board of directors, board of director powers, financial responsibilities and accountabilities.
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