Government of Alberta

Role of the Crown

Main article: Monarchy of Canada, Monarchy in Alberta

, as sovereign is also the in Right of Alberta. As a Commonwealth realm, the Canadian monarch is shared with 14 other independent countries within the Commonwealth of Nations. Within Canada, the monarch exercises power individually on behalf of the federal government, and the 10 provinces.

The powers of the Crown are vested in the monarch and are exercised by the lieutenant governor. The advice of the premier and Executive Council is typically binding; the Constitution Act, 1867 requires executive power to be exercised only "by and with the Advice of the Executive Council".

Lieutenant governor

Main article: Lieutenant Governor of Alberta

The lieutenant governor is appointed by the governor general, on the advice of the prime minister of Canada. Thus, it is typically the lieutenant governor whom the premier and ministers advise, exercising much of the royal prerogative and granting royal assent.

The executive power is vested in the Crown and exercised "in-Council", meaning on the advice of the Executive Council; conventionally, this is the Cabinet, which is chaired by the premier and comprises ministers of the Crown.

Premier and Executive Council

Premier

Main article: Premier of Alberta

The premier of Alberta is the primary minister of the Crown. The premier acts as the head of government for the province, chairs and selects the membership of the Cabinet, and advises the Crown on the exercise of executive power and much of the royal prerogative. As premiers hold office by virtue of their ability to command the confidence of the elected Legislative Assembly, they typically sit as a member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) and lead the largest party or a coalition in the Assembly. Once sworn in, the premier holds office until either they resign or are removed by the lieutenant governor after either a motion of no confidence or defeat in a general election.

Danielle Smith has served as Premier since October 11, 2022, when she won the leadership of her United Conservative Party.

References

Works cited

References

1. Claude Bouchard. (16 February 2016). "Jugement No. 200-17-018455-139". Cour supérieure du Québec.
2. (February 2015). "Canada's Evolving Crown: From a British Crown to a "Crown of Maples"". American, British and Canadian Studies Journal.
3. Department of Canadian Heritage. (2015). "Crown of Maples: Constitutional Monarchy in Canada". Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada.
4. "Queen and Canada". The Royal Household.
5. "The Queen of Canada". Government of Canada.
6. Branch, Legislative Services. (2020-08-07). "Consolidated federal laws of canada, THE CONSTITUTION ACTS, 1867 to 1982".
7. Hicks, Bruce. (2012). "The Westminster Approach to Prorogation, Dissolution and Fixed Date Elections". Canadian Parliamentary Review.
8. {{Harvnb. MacLeod. 2008
9. Government of Canada. (4 December 2015). "Why does the Governor General give the Speech?". Queen's Printer for Canada.
10. Neitsch, Alfred Thomas. (2008). "A Tradition of Vigilance: The Role of Lieutenant Governor in Alberta". Commonwealth Parliamentary Association.
11. "Parliamentary System".
12. "Smith stresses fight versus Ottawa, party unity after becoming Alberta's 19th premier".