Danielle Smith shrugs off UCP backbencher's condemnation of Alberta’s MOU with Ottawa

Alberta premiere Danielle Smith's power is shrugging away a United conservativist backbencher’s public oppositeness to the provincial government's deal with Ottawa to get an oil pipeline built.

Smith has long pointed to the memorandum of understanding (MOU) as proof the country can work, arguing that it can help tamp down separatist sentiment as Alberta readies for a fall referendum on the prospect of eventually pulling out of Confederation.

But UCP MLA Jason Stephan says Smith's agreement with Prime Minister Mark Carney is "not good enough for Alberta."

In a social media post, Stephan suggests the MOU is a cynical ploy meant to pacify and subjugate Albertans rather than address their longstanding grievances.

"Some in Ottawa act as if they are doing Alberta a favour by the MOU. Does that mean Alberta should now be quiet and to be a good colony?" Stephan writes.

Sam Blackett, spokesperson for the premier's office, said in a statement that individual MLAs are welcome to differ, but the position of the government and caucus is clear.

"Through the Alberta-Ottawa MOU, we have successfully repealed and amended the majority of the nine bad laws that were hindering Alberta's economy, clearing the way for Alberta to build new pipelines and export our energy resources on an unprecedented scale," Blackett wrote.

"We will continue to work with Ottawa where we can, and we will push back where we must."

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The deal was signed in the fall, as Carney agreed to fast-track a pipeline project in exchange for progress on a carbon capture network by the province's major oil producers.

Stephan was not made available for an interview, and caucus deferred to his written statement.

His comments come as Smith is expected to announce her government's proposal for a million-barrel-a-day bitumen pipeline to the West Coast later this week.

On Oct. 19, Albertans will vote on whether to stay in Canada or begin the process to hold a second, binding referendum on separating from the country.

In Stephan's letter, which was also published by online media organization The Western Standard on Friday, he questions Carney's motives on whether there would be an MOU "absent this referendum?"

Both the federal and provincial governments have stated their goal is to make Canada a global energy superpower.

Stephan resigned as Smith's constitutional affairs adviser in May, more than a month after he wrote an editorial encouraging all Albertans to sign a petition calling for a referendum on the province quitting Canada.

Danielle Smith's constitutional adviser quit post after promoting separatist petition

While Stephan didn't directly advocate for separation, he wrote that having a vote would send a message to Ottawa and what he called its "stupid laws and policies."

Smith has had to straddle the line between a UCP base more inclined to separation and a general population that consistently polls against it.

She has said she supports the province remaining in Canada, but she also welcomes diverse opinions in her caucus.

In late May, she was publicly at odds with the party president, who said he thought a majority of rank-and-file party members would vote against remaining in Canada, but that the party would stay neutral since its members have not had an official policy vote.

Smith later said when it comes to the United Conservatives, her word is the last word, and the party's official position is that it wants Alberta to stay in Confederation.

"Let me be clear, because I do speak for our government, our caucus and our party," she said last month. "Our party had as its founding principles that we support autonomy for Alberta within a united Canada.

"Every one of my MLAs got elected on that.”

The Canadian Press

Lisa Johnson is a reporter for The Canadian Press based in Alberta.

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