Danielle Smith says she’s happy to clarify confusion over sovereignty bill

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith says her government is making changes that will be discussed next week to reverse the part of a bill that gives her cabinet unlimited power to rewrite laws behind closed doors without legislative approval.

Smith appeared on CHED 660s Your Province, Your Premier said on Saturday that her sovereignty bill was never supposed to give the cabinet such a large amount of authority, and says her government wants to make it clear in law that this is not the case.

“I think there has been some confusion or a lack of clarity that if there are any changes to statutes, it does have to come back to the legislature. So we’re working to make sure that’s cleared up, but that seems to be the biggest criticism,” Smith said.

She added she was open to clearing up any “uncomfortable wording” that had led to such mass confusion.

The bill, introduced this week, has drawn widespread criticism and condemnation for giving Smith and her cabinet the authority to fix any federal policy, law or program it deems harmful to Alberta.

Critics say such power exercised in secret without legislative oversight is a threat to the checks and balances that underpin a healthy democracy.

The bill also raised concerns about the provision giving the cabinet the power to order provincial legislatures or funded entities to reject federal laws.

These entities include municipalities, police forces, health regions, post-secondary institutions and school boards.

The Alberta Legislative Assembly will resume session on Monday.

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