Alberta Premier Danielle Smith in Calgary in October.Todd Korol/The Canadian Press
The Alberta government on Tuesday is expected to announce new rules for firearms owners that would allow them to circumvent the federal government’s gun buyback program.
Premier Danielle Smith’s government may also direct law enforcement agencies not to prosecute individuals defending their property – plans Justice Minister Mickey Amery is expected to detail on Tuesday afternoon.
Ms. Smith foreshadowed the new rules in her speech at the United Conservative Party’s annual meeting over the weekend, saying she would be introducing motions under her trademark Alberta Sovereignty in a United Canada Act in a bid to exempt the province from federal law.
The sovereignty act has not been tested in court and numerous experts have called it constitutionally dubious.
“I’ve got a little tip for the low-life criminals out there: If you don’t want to get shot, don’t break into someone’s house,” Ms. Smith told the crowd of more than 4,000 party members on Saturday.
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Ms. Smith later told reporters that the details are “fairly technical from a legal point of view.”
The sovereignty act is one of the first pieces of legislation Ms. Smith introduced as Premier, fulfilling a campaign promise to defend Alberta’s interests against Ottawa.
The plan to shun federal rules comes just five days after Ms. Smith heralded a new era of co-operation with Ottawa when she and Prime Minister Mark Carney appeared side by side with a landmark energy accord, thawing a years-long détente over energy and environmental policy.
Alberta’s plan won’t be clear until it releases full details. However, Ms. Smith’s references to property-defence laws bear similarities to U.S. “castle laws” which expand legal protections for homeowners who use force to defend their property.