Alberta's Danielle Smith vows to fight federal firearm 'seizure' program next week

The Alberta authorities testament innovate a question this hebdomad under provincial sovereignty legislation to defy the federal gun buy-back program, Premier Danielle Smith announced Saturday during a speech at the United Conservative Party’s annual general meeting.

Smith said the motion, if passed by the legislature, will instruct “provincial entities,” including municipalities and law enforcement agencies, "to refuse to enforce or prosecute under the federal gun seizure program."

It would also protect Albertans defending themselves from intruders, she said.

“I’ve got a little tip for low-life criminals out there: if you don’t want to get shot, don’t break into someone’s house,” Smith said during her speech. “It’s really that simple, isn’t it?”

FULL SPEECH: Danielle Smith delivers keynote address to UCP

The Alberta Sovereignty within a United Canada Act, passed in December 2022, offers a framework to challenge federal laws and policies in court.

The federal government has banned more than 2,500 makes and models of assault-style firearms since May 2020. It developed a buy-back program, which is voluntary, to compensate eligible businesses and individuals who own such weapons.

But there is an amnesty period on this weapons ban. If people and businesses don’t dispose or deactivate those weapons before Oct. 30, 2026, they risk being charged with illegal possession of a prohibited firearm.

Bryant's office works under the provincial justice ministry.

Financial investment, sentimentality and sport are among the reasons people are against the federal policy, Bryant said. She also said the ban also hasn’t had an apparent effect on criminal misuse.

The Alberta government has taken steps over the past few years to try to push back against federal gun restrictions.

In September, Smith included firearm-related stipulations in her mandate letters to Justice Minister Mickey Amery and Public Safety and Emergency Services Minister Mike Ellis.

The Justice Ministry will not direct prosecutors to specific cases, he said, but he can — and plans to — issue guidelines as a general policy to the Alberta Crown Prosecution Service.

Smith declares pipeline deal with feds ‘a clear win’ at UCP convention

This motion, if passed, could put RCMP officers serving in Alberta in a bind, because they fall under federal jurisdiction. Amery said it's up to that agency to choose whether they follow Ottawa's directive.

"Given the fact that we've heard countless report that the RCMP all across Canada is severely understaffed, we think that their priorities should lie in other places," he said.

After inking a new memorandum of understanding this week with the federal Liberal government to loosen some environmental rules in Alberta in exchange for investment in carbon capture and a higher industrial carbon price, the premier faced some booing and pushback on Friday from the separatist elements of her party base.

Saturday's larger crowd gathered at the Edmonton Expo Centre had a warmer response when the premier touted the new agreement with Prime Minister Mark Carney.

"Let's lower our fists and instead roll up our sleeves and get to work on making our province and our people more prosperous than ever before," Smith said in her keynote address Saturday morning.

She also reiterated a promise that the province would seize more control over immigration to Alberta, which was a desire echoed by cabinet ministers and delegates throughout the weekend. The government hasn't yet said how it intends to do this.

In a "bearpit session" with most cabinet ministers on Friday, Amery said following a review of the Alberta Serious Incident Response Team and the Alberta Crown Prosecution Service, prosecutors will have to explain to victims' families and the public why they opted not to lay charges if a person dies in police custody.

"We cannot make our decisions in private," he told delegates.

"Every family impacted by any tragedy deserves and explanation."

Amery also told delegates a "suite of policy changes" is coming to put guardrails around medical assistance in dying (MAID) within the province.

“You will see the most comprehensive and most difficult policy in the entire country come forward when it comes to setting the parameters and the borders around MAID," he said.

On Saturday, members debated 36 party policy resolutions, and voted to approve 35 of them, including a proposal to cease public funding for most third-trimester abortions.

Members only rejected a resolution about preventing foreign ownership of land.

Government MLAs got an earful throughout the weekend about auto insurance reforms set to take effect at the start of 2027.

Party members voted overwhelmingly in favour of the government repealing legislation that will bring a "care first" auto insurance system that substantially limits an injured person's ability to sue another driver after a collision.

A group called Albertans Against No-Fault Insurance had a table set up at the convention, and handed out buttons saying, "Trash no fault insurance."

Delegate Gordon Tulk from Red Deer spoke against the motion, saying personal injury lawyers had mounted a campaign against the move because they have a vested interest in maintaining the status quo.

On Friday, Finance Minister Nate Horner told delegates the incoming system was needed to limit the escalation in insurance costs. He said legal fees are a major cost driver of insurance, and one factor the government can control by limiting lawsuits.

“The system is unsustainable," Horner said. "If you want us to say, 'Okay, we’re going back to a tort system'… we will have to remove the cap we have in place, and insurance rates will skyrocket.”

Organizers said nearly 4,500 UCP members were registered to attend the weekend gathering.

Provincial affairs reporter

Add some “good” to your morning and evening.

---

---