The oil-rich province's Conservative-dominated government has passed a law rejecting federal sovereignty. Alberta has been at odds with the Justin Trudeau's Liberal government, especially over the imposition of draconian COVID-19 restrictions, which have hurt many Canadians.
The sovereignty bill allows the province to ignore any federal laws and regulations it opposes.
Brian Rushfeldt, former president of Canada Family Action, lives in Alberta and makes note of one particularly egregious federal imposition.
"We've had this thing called equalization payments forever in our constitution," he reports. "Alberta has been forced to send several billion dollars to Quebec in the last number of years because of the equalization law."
Some critics describe Alberta's move as an unconstitutional threat to the basic fabric of the country's government, but the measure is otherwise said to allow Alberta to fight harmful federal laws and defend the nation's federal-provincial division of powers.
Rushfeldt is convinced that the federal government has overstepped its powers.
"I think the sovereignty act is absolutely necessary to try and repair and fix those problems," he says.
The conservative activist adds that Prime Minister Trudeau hates the province of Alberta.
"I think it's quite clear that Trudeau has a hate for Alberta and Saskatchewan ... because we don't vote for Liberal MPs," Rushfeldt suggests. "He has done everything within his powers -- and, in fact, I believe beyond his powers -- to try and harm Alberta. He's forcing things on Alberta which Quebec is not being forced to comply with."
Court challenges against the Alberta Sovereignty within a United Canada Act are expected.
