Bill passed along party lines at 1 a.m.

By Canadian Press

UCP government passes sovereignty act overnight

Dec 8, 2022 | 5:51 AM

EDMONTON — Alberta’s legislature passed Premier Danielle Smith’s controversial sovereignty act overnight — but not before first stripping out the provision that granted Smith’s cabinet the power to bypass the legislature and rewrite laws as it saw fit.

Smith’s United Conservative caucus used its majority to pass an amendment affirming that the Alberta legislature still has the last word on lawmaking.

The bill then moved directly to the third and final reading on the bill and was approved around 1 a.m. this morning, with government members standing to applaud after it cleared the final legislative hurdle.

The UCP passed motions at the final three stages of the bill to limit debate.

Smith, speaking to the bill in the third reading, said it is time to reset the relationship with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government.

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Immediately after the vote, NDP Leader Rachel Notley tweeted, “for the record, if we form government, we will move to repeal this horrible, anti-democratic legislation.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 8, 2022

The Canadian Press