Alberta Minute: Throne Speech, Kenney Resigns, and Sovereignty Act Introduced

Alberta Minute - Your weekly one-minute summary of Alberta politics.

This Week In Alberta:

• The Legislature continues to sit this week, including afternoon and evening sittings on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, and an afternoon sitting on Thursday. During this week's sitting, Second Reading will continue for Bill 1 - the Alberta Sovereignty within a United Canada Act (more on that below). On the opposition side, Marie Renaud, MLA for St. Albert, will propose a motion to investigate the recent increases in grocery prices.
  
  
• The Select Special Ombudsman and Public Interest Commissioner Search Committee meets today at 11:00 am. No agenda is available for this meeting, but we're guessing they'll be talking about searching for a Public Interest Commissioner.
  
  
• The Standing Committee on Public Accounts meets on Tuesday at 8:00 am. The Committee will receive several reports from the Auditor General of Alberta, as well as the Advanced Education Annual Report for 2021-22, and a Research Services’ Briefing.

Last Week In Alberta:

• Premier Danielle Smith introduced Bill 1 - The Alberta Sovereignty within a United Canada Act. This Bill allows for a Cabinet Minister to introduce a motion about a "federal initiative" that the Minister believes to be unconstitutional on the basis of intruding into an area of provincial constitutional jurisdiction, or is otherwise harmful to Albertans. The motion would then be debated on the floor of the Legislature, followed by a free vote of MLAs. Despite much fear-mongering from opponents, the Bill is indeed constitutional.
  
  
• The Speech from the Throne was delivered, outlining Premier Danielle Smith’s legislative agenda. This government will be looking to create economic corridors that guarantee the movement of our goods across the country, as well as aggressively advancing our energy industry. Other priorities included reforming a bureaucratic and unwieldy health care system and helping Albertans deal with the affordability crisis.
  
  
• Former Alberta Premier Jason Kenney resigned from his seat as the MLA for Calgary-Lougheed. His resignation and the Throne Speech were delivered on the same day. He said with a new government in place and an election on the horizon, that now was the best time to step aside. Kenney wraps up a 25-year career in politics.

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