Alberta Premier Danielle Smith released a statement on Wednesday in preparation of another hit piece from state-broadcaster CBC.

Smith has been fending off unsubstantiated claims by the CBC over allegations she meddled in Alberta Crown Prosecution affairs over COVID-related charges. 

“Later today, in an effort to continue their campaign of defamatory attacks against me, my office staff, Alberta Crown Prosecutors, and the Alberta Public Service, the CBC intends to release an article about a conversation I had with an individual named, Artur Pawlowski,” Smith tweeted.

Smith went on to say that she had her staff work with the Ministry of Justice to see if amnesty could be granted to “non-violent, non-firearms COVID-related charges.”

Smith said she subsequently received a legal brief recommending she stop pursuing amnesty for Pawlowski and related cases because many were still active. 

“I have followed that advice,” she said.

“At no time have I spoken with the anyone from the Alberta Crown Prosecution Service, nor to my knowledge, have any of my Office’s staff. Allegations to the contrary are defamatory and will be dealt with accordingly,” Smith added. 

Last month, Smith issued a letter demanding CBC retract its defamatory article – and condemned New Democrat Party leader Rachel Notley for propagating it.  

The article suggested that Smith’s office sent multiple emails to crown prosecutors regarding the Coutts border-related charges, which would be an overreach of her powers. 

The article has since been amended by CBC and found to contain unsubstantiated claims by the Public Service Commission. Yet the article remains in print. 

“The Premier calls on the CBC to retract its outrageous story,” Smith said in a statement. 

This all comes with the provincial election exactly two months away. Recent polling shows Smith’s United Conservative Party is in a deadlock with Rachel Notley’s New Democrat Party.