Alberta Premier Danielle Smith said the federal government has once again failed to address the province’s core concerns, warning that Albertans need to see “meaningful action within weeks — not months.”
Responding to Prime Minister Mark Carney’s Speech from the Throne delivered by King Charles III, Smith said the speech lacked the commitments she has repeatedly outlined as necessary for a reset in Alberta-Ottawa relations.
“Albertans need to see the federal government reset its relationship with Alberta, starting with a clear commitment to work with Alberta to build an oil pipeline to the northwest BC coast as well as repealing the emissions cap, Bill C-69, the tanker ban, and the net-zero electricity regulations,” said Smith.
She noted Carney’s focus on infrastructure and energy but said the throne speech lacked actionable commitments.
“While it’s nice to hear the Prime Minister’s commitment to build projects of national significance and position Canada as a conventional energy superpower, there was sadly no mention in the throne speech of any substantive actions or policy repeals to address the priorities that I have outlined to the Prime Minister on behalf of Albertans,” she said.
Smith has previously said Carney has six months to prove he is taking the country in a new direction, warning that continued inaction would not be tolerated by Albertans.
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre similarly criticized the speech for being full of “slogans” but lacking any real solutions.
Smith said she looks forward to a response from the prime minister on her specific demands.
“Time is of the essence as Albertans need to see meaningful action within weeks — not months,” she said.
Smith’s latest remarks build on weeks of warnings and frustration. She previously said Carney’s cabinet appointments signalled a continuation of Justin Trudeau’s “anti-resource agenda.”
She also urged Ottawa to respect Alberta while sharing the stage with Alberta Prosperity Project CEO Mitch Sylvestre.
“The federal policies have blocked pipelines, capped our industries, driven away hundreds of billions of dollars of investment, and these decisions have cost us jobs and opportunity and the future that we owe to our children and grandchildren,” said Smith. “Ottawa’s overreach, from carbon taxes to net-zero mandates, has not only hurt Alberta but it’s weakened Canada’s place in the world.”
In recent weeks, public support for Alberta sovereignty has intensified, with the Alberta Prosperity Project officially filing its petition for a vote on Alberta separation to take place in the very near future.
A recent Leger poll highlighted that support for separation in Alberta might be rising. The poll showcased that 41 per cent of Albertan respondents would vote to separate in a referendum, with only 44 per cent opposed.
While Smith has not endorsed separation, she said the frustration driving the movement is real and rooted in Ottawa’s long-standing overreach.
“We are proud Canadians, but our loyalty must not be mistaken for submission,” she said earlier this month. “I will not permit the status quo to continue.”