Airdrie-Cochrane MLA and Energy minister Peter Guthrie says the Alberta Sovereignty within a United Canada Act is an important bill, but so too is addressing affordability. 

He says the sovereignty act is being debated right now but will be closely followed by a bill to further address the financially crippling impact of affordability upon Albertans.

"There are a number of different things we're attacking. It's about a $2.8 billion package and the minister of Affordability and Utilities Matt Jones is looking at other options, so I would expect more to come."

In the Speech from the Throne, the government outlined targeted inflation-relief and affordability measures, They include extending the energy price protection, reviewing the electricity pricing system, additional support for food banks, helping low-income Albertans with transit costs, providing additional support and indexing benefits for vulnerable Albertans, and indexing personal income taxes.

"We're looking for ways to maximize who can benefit from this the most and trying to get the money to those who need it most."

He believes utilizing the tools within the Alberta Sovereignty within a United Canada Act is not the preferred way to deal with the federal government but will be valuable if all other measures fail.

"I think the best approach is one of professionalism and courtesy and I think the preferred route is to have that type of relationship with Ottawa and the Sovereignty Act is something that would never have to be looked at," says Guthrie. "But what it does is it provides us an option if and when Ottawa goes outside of its lane."

In part, the Speech from the Throne addresses what is seen by the government as an unprecedented overreach by the federal government into areas that infringe upon the province's responsibility.

"These personal and provincial rights are not something the federal government can simply supersede when it chooses," states the speech that opened the fourth session of the Legislative Assembly. "Ottawa is not our ruler; Ottawa is our partner – and it needs to begin acting like it."

Guthrie says Ottawa needs to change its attitude.

"We've seen some geopolitical changes, inflationary pressures, and warnings of recession. When affordability starts to affect everybody then I think the federal government should start to think about possibly some different approaches. I'm hopeful, but still skeptical, that we can have a positive relationship with the federal government. That will remain to be seen, but we do have a little something in the hole if we need it."

He says a thorough investigation was undertaken to ensure the act is constitutionally sound.

"It's been run through the ringers with a series of law firms as well as internally to get it to this stage, so it's taken a long time. It's been through a lot of hands, it's been through caucus scrutiny on a couple of occasions, through the cabinet, as well as cabinet committee. It's taken a while to get it to this point and we're finally ready to lay it out and start debating it."

As the newly-minted Energy minister, Guthrie has ongoing conversations with federal Natural Resources minister Jonathan Wilkinson as well as representatives from other Canadian provinces and the US.

On the horizon is an Energy Council Conference in Banff, Dec. 8 to 10, involving energy officials from across North America. He says other initiatives are in the works for the New Year, including a visit to Germany for European energy talks.

"That's in the early stages right now, but we're looking at deploying a team in Q1."