Advertisement

Kenney pleads for national unity during speech to Calgary business crowd

Alberta Premier Jason Kenney discusses the accomplishments of his government in its first 100 days in office, in Edmonton on Wednesday August 7, 2019. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jason Franson

Alberta Premier Jason Kenney says federal party leaders who would let provinces block new pipelines are ignoring the Constitution.

Kenney made a plea for national unity during a speech to a downtown Calgary business crowd while holding a copy of Canada’s supreme law.

He says Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau’s government did nothing to stop British Columbia’s roadblocks to the stalled Trans Mountain pipeline expansion project.

And NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh came under fire for remarks he made during a CBC interview about how a government led by him would not impose pipelines on provinces.

Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day.

Get daily National news

Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day.
By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy.

Kenney says the Constitution is clear that infrastructure between provinces is under the authority of the national government, and provinces can’t obstruct them.

Story continues below advertisement

He says Albertans are champions of the Constitution and national unity, and federal leaders should respect that vision.

“We Albertans are true federalists. We believe in a big Canada,” Kenney said in his speech Tuesday to the Calgary Chamber of Commerce.

“We respect not just the original intent but language of the Constitution and we reject the parochial vision of federal parties who are undermining the economic union and balkanizing this country at the worst possible time.”

Sponsored content

AdChoices