Good morning everyone.
“There is still time.”
That’s what Alberta Premier Danielle Smith said Thursday morning ahead of her government’s Throne Speech kicking off the fall session of the legislature.
Of course, when it comes to time, she was referring to the Monday deadline the Premier has given the Alberta Teachers’ Association to reach a deal with the government to end their nearly three-week old strike.
With about 750,000 students out of school since Oct. 6, Smith says a compromise needs to be reached or she will force the more than 50,000 French, Catholic and public school teachers back to work through legislation.
If anyone was paying attention to the estimated 30,000 people dancing, cheering, banging drums and rallying on the legislature grounds on Thursday afternoon while the Throne Speech was being delivered, they won’t go quietly.
“The government may try to end this strike with a law, but they can’t legislate the crisis of our classrooms or silence 51,000 teachers and their supporters and united voices,” said ATA president Jason Schilling at the rally. “Our solidarity cannot be defeated by a bill.”
But the Back to School Act, expected to be slammed through the house on Monday, will be Bill 2. The government had another plan for Bill 1.
On Thursday afternoon, the government introduced the International Agreements Act, which would require any international agreements that delve into provincial areas of jurisdiction be debated and passed into law in Alberta.
“The federal government stands at a crossroads. Work with us, and we’ll get things done. Overstep, and Alberta will stand its ground,” Smith said in a post Thursday.
No mincing words there.
Smith and her United Conservative government have been beating the Alberta versus Ottawa drum since she took office three years ago. And that does not appear to be changing as the new session begins.
Thursday’s Throne Speech touted a number of wins for the province, including that the Smith government has “driven back the anti-energy movement in our country and helped to turn the tide of national public opinion from anti-oil and gas sentiment into a national consensus that Alberta’s energy resources are a national treasure” that must be developed in an environmentally friendly manner.
The speech also celebrated Alberta’s effort to woo U.S. President Donald Trump and stave off tariffs on Canadian products. Although we’ll see how that plays out after Trump said he was ending all trade talks with Canada over an Ontario anti-tariff ad.
Increasing diversity in the provincial economy was also championed, highlighting everything from development of artificial intelligence technologies to growing industries in aerospace, defence, technology, critical minerals and others.
“The days of hearing that Alberta needs to start diversifying its economy are over,” read the speech.
Despite the encouraging words, Smith’s government said in August that this fiscal year’s deficit is expected to hit $6.5-billion, up $1.3-billion from its original forecast. And with oil prices lower than expected, and Alberta still strapped in to the resource rollercoaster, provincial planning remains a challenge.
But one thing was clear from the speech: Smith does not appear to be wavering in her tactics.
“Alberta is winning and will continue to win this battle for our freedom and provincial rights – because your government believes we are on the right side of history and Albertans will not be denied their prosperous future," the text of the speech said.
This is the weekly Alberta newsletter written by Alberta Bureau Chief Mark Iype. If you’re reading this on the web, or it was forwarded to you from someone else, you can sign up for it and all Globe newsletters here.