In an interview with 770 CHQR radio host Rob Breakenridge Tuesday morning, Kenney said he’s been talking about Alberta’s “critical” workforce and skills shortages throughout his political tenure.

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“I don’t think it’s political. One of the great things about me in my current situation, honestly, is that I’m not running for anything. I have no votes to get,” Kenney said. “I don’t think people realize that I probably spend more than half my time and many days promoting investments. Many of these new projects in Alberta require effort and leadership from the top. Story continues below ad “This is a very serious problem that we’re dealing with, from mom and pop restaurants to doctors and everything in between.” The statement comes after the United Conservative Party unveiled a new program to recruit skilled workers from Vancouver and Toronto on Monday.

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The program — dubbed “Alberta is Calling” — is a $2.6 million marketing campaign touting the province’s lower taxes, housing affordability, shorter commute and proximity to the Rockies. It will include advertising on social media, radio and posters in high-traffic areas such as public transport stations. The statement also comes after Kenney said on his radio show that a key platform from one of the UCP leadership candidates was “crazy”. Story continues below ad Candidate Danielle Smith has promised to push through the Alberta Sovereignty Act if elected, which would give the province the power to ignore federal laws and court rulings not deemed in the province’s best interests. Legal scholars say such a bill would be illegal, unenforceable and a dangerous rejection of respect for the rule of law. “You’re referring to the so-called sovereignty act … I’m not commenting on the leadership election, but the proposal is basically garbage and Alberta separatism wrapped in a new rag,” Kenney told Breakenridge after the host asked if Alberta was showing up. as a laughing stock throughout the country. “To be clear, this was proposed last September. I commented on this publicly in the winter and spring, well before the leadership election… It suggests ignoring the courts and would cause a constitutional crisis.”

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Kenney also said the Smith Sovereignty Act would be “kryptonite” for prospective investors because they won’t come to a province that doesn’t respect the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. He pointed to the 1976 Quebec provincial election and said real estate prices in the province collapsed after businesses and investors supposedly left after the election of former premier René Lévesque. Lévesque was a leading advocate of the sovereignty of this province. Story continues below ad “There is a small number of Albertans who have always been separatist and probably always will be. It is OK. They are citizens and they have a right to that opinion,” Kenney said. “I think the majority of people in the province are focused on a strong province with a strong economy, and the destabilization of the economic dynamics that we’re experiencing right now is the last thing we need.” 2:03 ‘This is just nuts’: Jason Kenney sticks to Sovereignty Act attack, denies meddling in leadership race ‘This is just nuts’: Jason Kenney sticks to Sovereignty Act attack, denies meddling in leadership race Kenney also said the Sovereignty Act may give other provinces ideas to leave the federation as well. “If BC took this separatist view, it could stand in the way of the Trans Mountain pipeline, and other provinces could. But right now, BC is forcing it to go forward even if they don’t like the court decision or the pipeline,” Kenney said. “Whether we like the way political decisions are made by elected governments or by the courts, we respect them because we are deeply committed to the fundamental principle of our society: the rule of law.” Story continues below ad –With files from Colette Derworiz and Bill Graveland of The Canadian Press. © 2022 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.