The first piece of legislation proposed by the new conservative provincial premier of Alberta, Canada would essentially allow the premier’s cabinet to cancel any laws passed by the Parliament in Ottawa the provincial legislature disliked, CBC News reports.
The legislation, the first introduced by new Conservative Party Premier Danielle Smith, who took office last month, would allow her cabinet to alter, negate any law passed by Ottawa that it feels overreaches the federal government power or spends too much money from Alberta taxpayers. Essentially, Alberta would have veto power to anything the cabinet–but really, just the governor–didn’t want enacted in Alberta, but still have all the benefits of the federal government like roads, defense and infrastructure.
“I hope we never have to use this bill,” Smith said following the legislation’s introduction. “I hope that we’ve sent a message to Ottawa that we will vigorously defend our constitutional areas of jurisdiction and they should just butt out.”