Alberta Premier Danielle Smith pledged to “triple down” on conservative principles, including energy extraction and anti-trans policies at the Alberta United Conservative Party’s annual general meeting in Red Deer today in front of an energetic crowd of 6,000 people.
“We will build new pipelines, oil and gas facilities, petrochemical plants, hydrogen plants, and more because Alberta is an energy superpower, and we will not apologize for it,” said the premier, who was defiant against the federal government and any attempts to regulate energy and greenhouse gas emissions.
Taking a shot at the federal government Smith decried federal attempts at regulating carbon emissions during her speech.
“Justin Trudeau, Steven Guilbeault and their band of woke MPs have done everything they can to shut down Canada’s and Alberta’s most economically important industry as quickly as possible,” said Smith.
In a particularly spicy moment, the Premier dismissed federal environment and climate change minister Guilbeault’s “tantrums” and “green schemes,” suggesting that Alberta would not “budge an inch … EVER.”
Smith threatened to continue to block any legislation that affects the energy industry.
“We have already invoked the Sovereignty Act against Justin Trudeau’s reckless and unaffordable 2035 net-zero electricity regulations, which we will not enforce in Alberta,” she said.
Related: Alberta Conservatives Pass Climate Denial Resolution 12 to Celebrate CO2 Pollution
Premier Smith is facing a leadership review as a part of the AGM and met with members at an accountability session where they discussed past policy proposals including the proposal to ban solar farms on agricultural land.
Last year, the Alberta government imposed a seven-month moratorium on renewable energy projects after this policy proposal passed.
According to the Canadian Press, a webinar used as a part of the government’s engagement process said that Alberta is looking to prohibit wind and solar farms on irrigated land.
In the afternoon, the members will debate a policy resolution that would “recognize the importance of CO2 to life and Alberta’s prosperity” by abandoning “Net-Zero” targets and recognizing that CO2 is a “foundational nutrient to life.”
