Danielle Smith, considered one of the front-runners in the United Conservative Party leadership race, faced sharp criticism Wednesday from debate rivals over her Alberta sovereignty plan and controversial comments on cancer. Read more: Alberta UCP leadership candidate Danielle Smith promises immediate sovereignty act Many of the seven candidates, including three who left Premier Jason Kenney’s cabinet to run in the race, criticized Smith’s proposal to immediately bring in a bill to give Alberta the power to ignore federal laws and court rulings deemed not in its interest.
They said Alberta must push back against the federal government, but said Smith’s plan is not only illegal and unenforceable — it would also create business uncertainty at a time the province is just getting back on its feet financially. “It would be great to just wish away all our problems with this thing called the sovereignty act.
We’re delusional if we think that’s going to happen,” former finance minister Travis Toews told Smith at the debate, held in the HALO air ambulance hangar at the Medicine Hat Regional Airport. “We need a strategic thoughtful approach.
That’s how we win.” Rajan Sawhney, the former transportation minister, said such an act would fail in the courts and bring debilitating economic uncertainty.