Not on the same page
Quebec premier doesn’t understand Alberta’s energy industry: Ceci
Quebec’s resistance to a pipeline carrying western Canadian oil across its territory shows the provincial premier’s lack of understanding about the Alberta energy industry, the Albertan finance minister says.
Speaking ahead of a federalprovincial finance ministers’ meeting Monday in Ottawa, Joe Ceci argued Alberta has been reducing the amount of carbon in the oil it produces.
The entire national economy will benefit if Alberta can transport its oil to international markets beyond the United States, he said, insisting pipelines are the safest way to get crude to coastal ports.
Ceci’s remarks came a few days after Quebec Premier Francois Legault said there’s no “social acceptability” for a pipeline that would carry what he called “dirty energy” through his province.
“He clearly doesn’t understand what is happening in the energy sector in Alberta at this point in time,” Ceci said when asked by reporter Monday about Legault’s comment.
“We have been innovators in removing carbon from the barrel - we are going to continue to be innovators ... So I don’t think the premier of Quebec understands at this point that Alberta’s energy sector is leading in terms of the enhancements of the carbon molecule.”
Ceci later said: “We need to start operating as one country, as opposed to many provinces who are looking out for their own individual interests.”
TransCanada Corporation had proposed a $15.7-billion pipeline called Energy East, to carry western crude through Quebec to New Brunswick for shipment overseas — but the company abandoned the project more than a year ago, citing market changes and red tape.
Last Friday after the premiers’ meeting in Montreal, New Brunswick Premier Blaine Higgs remained optimistic that, someday, a pipeline would be built to bring western crude oil to ports in his region.
The challenges of moving crude out of the oilpatch to foreign markets has been a major concern for Alberta.
The energy-producing province has been struggling with the economic consequences of an oilprice collapse as well as a deep discount on the price of western Canadian crude caused by transportation constraints.
With a shortage of pipeline capacity, Alberta recently announced it will buy rail cars to ship another 120,000 barrels of oil a day.
The province has been seeking help from the federal government, but Ottawa has been reluctant to offer financial support.
Ceci said on Monday that he intended to continue urging his federal counterpart, Finance Minister Bill Morneau, to pitch in.