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Ministerial Mandate Letters highlight upcoming showdowns between Alberta and Ottawa

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Contributed by Free Alberta Strategy

After every election in Alberta, once the new government is formed and Cabinet has been selected, the Premier provides documents called mandate letters to each of their new Cabinet Ministers. These mandate letters outline the government’s priorities and policy objectives, as well as the Premier’s expectations, for each Minister’s performance in their respective roles. It is also common for these mandate letters to be released publicly, giving us as the public an early look at where the government is likely headed in the coming months and years. Over the last few days, the first of these mandate letters have been released, so we wanted to bring you a few of the highlights.

The constant theme throughout the letters is a very clear message to the federal government that Alberta will be flexing its muscles on the national stage in the coming four years. In particular, the two highest-profile Ministries – namely Finance and Energy – got mandate letters that put the federal government right in their crosshairs.

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Drumheller-Stettler MLA Nate Horner is in Cabinet as Finance Minister and has been tasked with looking at the establishment of an Alberta Revenue Agency and an Alberta Pension Plan.

These are both fundamental concepts of the Free Alberta Strategy, and both are strongly opposed by the New Democrats led by Rachel Notley.

The concept of an Alberta Revenue Agency isn’t as scary as most of the opposition is making it out to be.

Quebec already has a Quebec Revenue Agency that collects all provincial tax.

Saskatchewan just passed the Saskatchewan Revenue Agency Act, which gives them the ability to defend Saskatchewan’s economic autonomy, industries and jobs from federal intrusion and constitutional overreach.

Also, Alberta already collects provincial corporate tax through the Tax and Revenue Administration department.

So, in some ways, the Alberta Revenue Agency already exists – we just need to expand its mandate to include other types of taxes other than corporate tax.

This move would also provide greater flexibility for the province when it comes to provincial tax collection policy.

As a bonus, once this is done, we will then be able to join Quebec in lobbying the federal government for the ability of provinces to collect federal taxes.

This is something that Quebec has been pushing for for quite some time, and while they haven’t made any progress in convincing the current federal Liberal Party, several recent Conservative Party leaders have expressed support for the idea.

With regards to an Alberta Pension Plan, there is an actuarial report due to be released sometime soon that has studied this issue.

“It’s something that’s been outlined as a potential opportunity and something that we need to really flesh out and get into the numbers and make sure that Albertans understand,” said Horner.

We’ve pointed out here a few times that Albertans contribute more into the Canada Pension Plan than we take out in benefits.

In essence, Ottawa is using the CPP as just one more way to subsidize the rest of Canada with our money.

We anticipate the report – when it is released – will point out that due to our young demographics and provincial income levels, an Alberta Pension Plan will give us the ability to decrease contributions while maintaining the same benefits to our seniors, keep contribution levels the same while increasing benefits to our seniors, or some combination of the two.

Alberta’s exit from the Canada Pension Plan would also leave a huge hole in the national fund – one that would require premiums to dramatically increase in the rest of the country to make up for the subsidy they’ll no longer be getting from Albertans.

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Fort McMurray-Lac La Biche MLA Brian Jean steps into the crucial role of Energy and Minerals, a very fitting role given the riding he represents is the very heartland of the energy industry.

Jean will face off against a federal government that has been violating provincial natural resource jurisdiction ever since its election, and he will be expected to stand up to the politicians in Ottawa who are seeking to systematically decimate our natural resource industry.

Specifically, Jean is tasked with “defending Alberta’s energy interests against federal overreach and developing strategic alliances with other provinces to deal with energy-related issues.”

Recently, Federal Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault has gone so far as to state his belief that oil and gas production is likely to be reduced by 75% by 2050.

And given Justin Trudeau’s plans for a Just Transition / Sustainable Jobs Act, a net-zero electricity grid by 2035, an emissions / production cap on oil and gas at the end of this year, and more, we should believe him when he says he intends to try.

Considering the impact the aggressive climate ambitions of the federal government are anticipated to have on the national economy, prioritizing the defence of the industry on a jurisdictional basis is absolutely essential to ensure the future of Alberta.

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Horner, Jean, and the rest of Cabinet are about to become willing participants in the biggest fight of their political lives.

They will be expected to stand up for Alberta against the next wave of federal attacks and wrest control of our future back from Ottawa.

Here at the Free Alberta Strategy, we will be pushing the government to stay resolute in the face of these attacks, and to implement our ideas and proposals.

We’ve seen once before that a government in Alberta can be elected on a strong mandate to stand up to the federal government but back off when left-wing activists and media pressure them to stop.

That’s why we need to keep the pressure on to keep going, and make sure this government follows through.

To help us keep the pressure on, please consider making a donation to the Free Alberta Strategy:

 

 

We need your support to continue our research, policy analysis, grassroots organizing, and communications efforts.

Thanks for your support!

Regards,

The Free Alberta Strategy Team

DONATE has two key objectives:

  • Establishing complete Provincial Legislative Sovereignty within Canada
  • Ending Equalization and Net Federal Transfers out of Alberta

The Strategy accomplishes these two objectives through a series of legislative and other policies that must be implemented by Alberta’s Provincial Government

 

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Alberta

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith Media Roundtable from Washington

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From the YouTube channel of Alberta Premier Danielle Smith

Members of the media join Premier Danielle Smith for a round table on January 21, 2025.

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Alberta

Is There Any Canadian Province More Proud of their Premier Today…

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Prior to Trumps inauguration event and announcement was made that Trump would not be imposing the 25% tariffs…

Which means, Canada seriously dodged a bullet here.

And while the Liberals will most likely frame this as, their success in showing, Bad Orange Man, that they’re tough and ready to burn down what is left of our economy, throwing Alberta under the bus, first…through a nuclear option…

Premier Smith rode this challenge out like the true champion we knew that she would be.

It’s hard to say if this was a legality matter in the grander scheme…or if the 25% tariffs would have truly been as big of an impact on the US…

One thing is clear, however…

Smith was ready to go to the tables with the Trump administration and opt for diplomacy over threats…which should be what we expect from our leaders.

And should these 25% tariffs have gone through…I’m more than sure a Plan B would have been brought out in civil conversations, over screeching rhetoric.

“She’s treasonous”, they screeched.

“She’s supporting her friends in Oil and Gas”, they relent.

“She should put Canada first”, they echo…

And let’s just address these…

Is Walmart beholden to Campbells soup? Fruit of the Loom? Kraft?

Or does Walmart sell products that helps keep their doors open?

Walmart is not beholden to any product…just like Premier Smith isn’t. We have 26% of our GDP – the largest portion – owed to Alberta O&G, something that we have a limited trade partner with, due to the Liberal – Anti-Alberta/Anti-O&G/Anti-Pipeline attitude that wants to spend us further in debt with unreliable and expensive “Renewables”.

What does Alberta get from renewables?

A higher cost for energy, in an affordability crisis, created by the same people who continue to push them…sounds like a terrible deal, for Albertans, and something a true leader would Not Favor.


When Walmart sits down to hash out a deal with Heinz, are they committing treason because they haven’t shown their allegiance to their own, ‘Great Value’ brand Ketchup?

No…other provinces have their own industries and resources, which they are free to continue developing independent of the federal government, as is suitable and supportive of their own economies…Alberta isn’t competing with them, nor Canada as a whole.

Alberta through industry and resource, actually supports Canada through a grand imbalance on “Equalization Payments”…

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As do we through paying 50% more into the Canada Pension Plan, than we actually get out of the Canada Pension Plan…to the tune of a $334 Billion Dollars.


And as for this “Team Canada”, horseshit…

The title Premier of Alberta, should hold some clues as to who Premier Smith should be advocating for…as she is the Premier of Alberta and Not the Prime Minister, nor leader in the Liberal Party that has created this fiasco, to begin with.

Rail, as they may…other provinces can’t cast a vote in her support, either way…

None of the other provinces, through Members of Parliament, nor through Premiers, came to support Alberta and our economy through a number of Federal Bills that railed on our provincial resources…

Worse yet…these hypocrites cash cheques from our province, while telling us how to diversify our economy…to which I’d state one thing unequivocally…

If we wanted to be a Have Not Province…like you are…we’ll come and ask you for your advice.

Until then…

I’ll hold my Alberta Flag Higher than my Canadian…

And be proud today, of having the only Premier in the country of Canada, worthy of any praise today!

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