Alberta and Saskatchewan unite against federal interference

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith and Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe held a joint press conference on Wednesday announcing that their provinces were teaming up to fight federal interference.

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith and Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe held a joint press conference on Wednesday announcing that their provinces were teaming up to fight federal interference.

The shared priorities were also expressed in a joint statement. The provinces are joining forces to oppose the federal government’s role in imposing environmental policies that hinder resource development ambitions in Western Canada.

Speaking in Lloydminster, a city that straddles the Alberta-Saskatchewan border, Smith and Moe issued a coordinated statement demanding the end of what they called “federal interference.”

The two premiers said they are united in their push for changes to federal legislation and regulations that they argue are deterring private sector investment and undermining provincial authority over land and resource management.

“Today, Alberta’s and Saskatchewan’s governments came together in Lloydminster to make a unified call for national change,” the statement read.

“Together, we call for an end to all federal interference in the development of provincial resources.”

At the centre of their appeal is a demand that Ottawa repeal or significantly overhaul the Impact Assessment Act, a piece of federal legislation that governs environmental reviews for major infrastructure and resource projects.

Both premiers said the current process poses a barrier to “nation-building” development and must be reformed to respect provincial jurisdiction.

The premiers called on the federal government to eliminate the cap on oil and gas emissions, along with the cancellation of proposed Clean Electricity Regulations, and the lifting of the oil tanker moratorium off British Columbia’s northern coast.

They further urged Ottawa to abandon its policy mandating net-zero vehicle sales by 2035, which the current Liberal government intends to press ahead with.

Premier Moe has already expressed these same demands in a May 13 letter to the Prime Minister. Smith’s government has threatened to take the federal government to court over “costly” electricity regulations.

The two premiers also raised concerns over international trade, saying their provinces have been disproportionately affected by tariffs imposed by China and the United States.

They pointed to China’s “anti-discrimination” tariffs on Canadian agri-food products and increased U.S. tariffs on steel and aluminum as threats to the West’s economic stability.

“We urge the Prime Minister to continue his work with the U.S. administration to seek the removal of all tariffs currently being imposed by the U.S. on Canada.”

“We continue to call on the federal government to prioritize work toward the removal of Chinese tariffs.”

They framed Wednesday’s appeal as a test of the Carney government’s willingness to demonstrate cooperation and support for Western prosperity.

“Making these changes will demonstrate the new Prime Minister’s commitment to doing so,” the joint statement read. “Together, we will continue to fight to deliver on the immense potential of our provinces for the benefit of the people of Saskatchewan and Alberta.”