Alberta launches ‘scrap the cap’ ads ahead of Smith leadership review [Video]

Alberta’s $7-million ad campaign, railing against a proposed federal industrial emissions cap, comes just weeks before a leadership review for Premier Danielle Smith whose party members are hungry for conflict with Ottawa.

The cap, which will rein in rising oil and gas sector emissions, is one of the federal Liberals’ key climate policies to lower Canada’s greenhouse gas emissions which cause global heating. Political analysts say they were not surprised by the timing of Alberta’s latest salvo.

“Everything that’s happening coming out of the Smith government right now is focused on the upcoming leadership review,” Lisa Young, a political science professor at the University of Calgary, told Canada’s National Observer in a phone interview on Oct. 17.

“One of the things that’s very important to parts of the UCP (United Conservative Party) base is that the Alberta government is standing up to Ottawa,” Young said. “The range of opinions within …