It is a letter. A five-page letter. Read More
In a five-page letter, Premier Smith makes her big push to Prime Minister Carney for a west coast pipeline and dumping all Liberal anti-oil policies, in advance of possible June 2 fireworks when Carney and the premiers meet
In a five-page letter, Premier Smith makes her big push to Prime Minister Carney for a west coast pipeline and dumping all Liberal anti-oil policies, in advance of possible June 2 fireworks when Carney and the premiers meet
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It is a letter. A five-page letter.
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You could call it THE letter. Whatever happens with this letter will play a big, big part in Alberta’s place in Canada going forward.
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It is dated May 16, signed by Alberta Premier Danielle Smith and addressed to Prime Minister Mark Carney.
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On Monday, June 2, this letter will be on the table when Carney sits down with the premiers in Saskatoon.
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Before Smith gets around to making her offer, she begins her letter to Carney talking about how what Alberta wants will “address serious issues plaguing Canada’s economic well-being and the very real sense of alienation felt across the West.”
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This is serious stuff. Alberta has had more than enough.
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The premier writes how Alberta’s oil and gas is valued at $14 trillion. That’s trillion with a T.
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She says Canada needs to leverage those resources to provide services Canadians need, attract investors back and create well-paying jobs.
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Smith tells Carney Alberta requires “a guaranteed corridor and port access to tidewater off the Pacific, Arctic and Atlantic coasts.”
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Then Smith proposes an oil pipeline to the west coast.
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She says Asian customers in Japan and South Korea have told her they believe Canada needs to “accelerate market access of our oil, LNG, ammonia and critical minerals faster.”
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Alberta’s pitch is to build out the B.C. port of Prince Rupert.
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Smith also points out only 15 per cent of Alberta has access to tidewater outside of the U.S.
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The premier mentions more must be done than just TMX, the Trans Mountain pipeline.
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“We must build on what TMX delivered by creating another pipeline that delivers similar economic uplift, jobs, opportunities for reconciliation and Canadian security.”
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This is where Smith turns up the temperature on her pitch to Carney.
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The premier says an oil pipeline has to be on Carney’s list of nation-building projects to be fast-tracked.
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If an oil pipeline is not on the list, it will send a signal to private investment and not a good one.
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It will also … and read between these lines … “send an unwelcome signal to Albertans concerned about Ottawa’s commitment to national unity.”
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Smith adds there must be “a clear path to increasing oil and gas production so that Canada can achieve its full economic potential by avoiding the stranding of trillions of dollars of energy assets in Alberta.”