Alberta Premier Danielle Smith and her United Conservative Party retained control of Canada’s top oil-producing province in an election on Monday, setting up a series of energy policy showdowns with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
Smith’s UCP won 49 of the 87 seats in the provincial legislature to form a majority government, defeating the left-leaning New Democratic Party. Smith, 52, became prime minister last fall by winning the leadership of his party after his predecessor, Jason Kenney, stepped down amid dissatisfaction with his handling of the pandemic.
“We must continue to strengthen and diversify our incredible economy, and I want to tell every owner and investor listening tonight, whether they do business inside or outside of Alberta, that we are opening our doors to businesses, big and small,” Smith said. he said during his victory speech.
The victory threatens to complicate Trudeau’s quest to meet Canada’s climate commitments. Smith has opposed a plan to make the nation’s electricity grid net-zero by 2035 and has vowed to fight efforts to reduce emissions from the province’s oil sands.
The Trudeau government has pledged to limit emissions in the energy sector to meet Canada’s climate goals. His government last year released a plan modeling a 42 percent reduction in emissions from the oil and gas sector by 2030, which oil executives have said is not possible without cutting production.
Beyond energy, Smith has floated the ideas of pulling Alberta out of Canada’s main pension plan and replacing the Royal Canadian Mounted Police with a provincial force.
The government’s first priority will be to pass legislation requiring referendum approval for any increase in personal or business taxes, Smith said.
The UCP’s 11-seat margin of victory made it the closest provincial election since Alberta became a Canadian province in 1905.
