by
(LifeSiteNews) — Alberta has promised to keep using natural resources while refusing to implement the Trudeau government’s “clean electricity” regulations.
On August 10, Alberta Premier Danielle Smith released a statement denouncing the Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government’s “Clean Electricity Regulations” and promised never to enforce them in her province.
“The draft federal 2035 net-zero power grid regulations are unconstitutional, irresponsible and do not align with Alberta’s emissions reduction and energy development plan that works towards a carbon-neutral power grid by 2050,” she wrote.
My Statement on Proposed Clean Electricity Regulations:
The draft federal 2035 net-zero power grid regulations are unconstitutional, irresponsible and do not align with Alberta’s emissions reduction and energy development plan that works towards a carbon-neutral power grid by… pic.twitter.com/mJCH9yObPE
— Danielle Smith (@ABDanielleSmith) August 10, 2023
Smith’s comments are in response to a drafted document outlining Canada’s plan to switch from natural resources such as oil and gas to “clean” alternatives like hydroelectric, nuclear, solar and wind by 2035. In the proposal, Minister of Natural Resources Jonathan Wilkinson suggested denying funds to provinces which refuse to stop using natural resources.
However, Smith stated that the proposed regulations “would endanger the reliability of Alberta’s power grid and cause massive increases in Albertans’ power bills.”
“Alberta’s government will protect Albertans from these unconstitutional federal net-zero regulations,” she promised. “They will not be implemented in our province – period.”
Smith remained hopeful that the regulations were only drafts and not yet finalized. She explained that Alberta is working with the federal government to discuss “how to bring Ottawa’s efforts to decarbonize the economy in line with Alberta’s Emissions Reduction and Energy Development Plan.”
However, Smith noted, “If this alignment is not achieved, Alberta will chart its own path to ensuring we have additional reliable and affordable electricity brought onto our power grid that is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.”
“Albertans and our government care deeply about responsible environmental stewardship. We are confident Alberta’s plan will get us to a reliable and affordable carbon-neutral power grid by 2050,” she added, calling on the federal government to support, not “hinder,” the province in doing so.