Premier Danielle Smith has introduced Bill 1, the International Agreements Act — landmark legislation that tells Ottawa, in no uncertain terms: if you sign it in Geneva, it doesn’t rule in Alberta unless we say so.

The bill makes Alberta the first province to legally insulate itself from international treaties or agreements signed by the federal government without provincial approval. It means no United Nations climate diktat, no World Health Organization “pandemic accord,” and no global carbon schemes can be forced on Albertans unless the provincial legislature signs off first.

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“We will defend our constitutional rights, protect our province’s interests and make sure decisions that affect Albertans are made by Albertans,” said Smith. “The federal government stands at a crossroads. Work with us, and we’ll get things done. Overstep, and Alberta will stand its ground.”

The Act replaces Alberta’s older International Trade and Investment Agreements Act, expanding it to cover all international deals — not just trade. If Ottawa signs an agreement that affects provincial matters like health, education, or energy, it won’t automatically apply in Alberta without new provincial legislation.

It’s a direct response to a growing pattern: the Liberal government signing on to international “commitments” — from carbon schemes to health policy frameworks — and then leaning on provinces to implement them.

The new bill mirrors Quebec’s 2000 law, asserting that no international agreement takes effect without provincial consent. The difference is that Smith’s version applies that principle through the lens of Alberta’s “sovereignty within a united Canada,” — extending her government’s constitutional pushback to the global arena.

If passed, Bill 1 could effectively firewall Alberta from federal overreach disguised as international cooperation.

Smith’s message is clear: Alberta will not be a passive participant in Ottawa’s global virtue signalling. The province decides what applies here; not bureaucrats at the UN, not negotiators in Ottawa, and not international agencies with zero accountability to Albertans.