PM unleashes political dynamite with comments on oilsands’ future
Politicians and interest groups across spectrum quick to react
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s musings about phasing out the oilsands Friday were met with a barrage of criticism from Alberta’s conservative politicians and a pledge from Premier Rachel Notley that the province’s energy industry was “not going anywhere, any time soon.”
Asked at a town hall event in Peterborough about the federal government’s recent approval of Kinder Morgan’s Trans Mountain pipeline expansion, Trudeau reiterated his long-standing remarks that he is attempting to balance economic and environmental concerns.
“We can’t shut down the oilsands tomorrow. We need to phase them out. We need to manage the transition off of our dependence on fossil fuels but it’s going to take time and in the meantime we have to manage that transition,” he added.
Northern Alberta’s oilsands are a prime target for environmentalists because of their significant output of greenhouse gas emissions linked to global climate change.
Trudeau, who will be in Calgary for a cabinet retreat on Jan. 23 and 24, also said again that it is the responsibility of the national government to get Canadian resources to market.
But the PM’s oilsands comments prompted harsh words from some provincial politicians, with Wildrose Leader Brian Jean calling them a “direct attack” on Alberta while Progressive Conservative interim leader Ric McIver said he was “incredibly disappointed” in Trudeau’s remark.
Tory leadership candidates Jason Kenney, Stephen Khan and Richard Starke also took to Twitter to lambaste the PM’s phaseout talk.
In a video statement posted on social media, Notley took a more diplomatic approach, alluding to her NDP government’s climate action plan as she said pointedly that “oil and gas will help power the global economy for generations to come and our job is to make sure that Alberta’s products are the first in line.”
“Alberta’s oil and gas industry and the people who work in it are the best in the world and we’re not going anywhere, any time soon,” said Notley, who has been closely allied to Trudeau on the issues of climate change and pipelines needed to connect Alberta’s oilsands crude to new markets.
Last November, the Liberal cabinet approved the expansion of the Trans Mountain heavy oil pipeline to the British Columbia coast and the overhaul of Enbridge’s Line 3 into the United States, while rejecting Enbridge’s Northern Gateway line to B.C.
The Trudeau government has also mandated provinces put a price on carbon, such as the carbon tax developed by Alberta’s NDP government that was implemented this year.
In an interview, Jean said Trudeau’s Friday comments — coupled with his policies on carbon pricing and Gateway — are highly damaging because of the signal sent to potential oilsands investors.
“He is trying to shut down the oilsands long-term. Most people recognize this is part of his agenda,” said Jean, whose Fort McMurray-Conklin riding is in the heart of the oilsands.
On Friday afternoon, the PMO issued a statement clarifying Trudeau’s remarks.
“The Prime Minister, as he and previous Prime Ministers including Stephen Harper have been say- ing for a long time, was reiterating the need to move away from our dependency on fossil fuels and his commitment to growing the economy all while protecting the environment.”
In 2015, then-prime minister Harper committed Canada, along with other G7 nations, to phase out the use of fossil fuels by the end of this century, with the Conservative government saying at the time the pledge was “aspirational.”
Tim McMillan, president of the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers, said there has been great success in lowering emissions from the oilsands compared to production.
“Our oilsands are world-class, they are substantial and they can be an asset for Canada for a very long time,” he said, adding that they are expected be active well into the latter half of this century.
McMillan would not address Trudeau’s phase- out comment directly but said CAPP — the umbrella organization for large energy producers — is pleased the prime minister restated his desire to get resources to markets.
Keith Stewart of Greenpeace Canada said in a statement that Trudeau’s comments reflect the global transition to renewable energy and “the only real debate is how fast this will happen.”
“No one, including Greenpeace, is saying shut down the oilsands tomorrow.
“What we are saying is that if Trudeau is serious about his commitments ... then he can’t grant pipeline permits that lock in a massive expansion of oilsands production.”
He is trying to shut down the oilsands long term. Most people recognize this is part of his agenda.