Friendlier first ministers, but mission failure on climate
GATINEAU, QUE.—Justin Trudeau’s showpiece first ministers’ conference on climate change ended last week in unanimity on one point, at least: none of our intrepid leaders is interested in tackling the country’s major single source of greenhouse gas emissions, the Alberta oilsands, or proposed pipelines that will keep the oil flowing. On the contrary, as Prime […]
East, West on same side of pipeline debate
When all is said and done, there is no rational reason for this week’s climate-change gathering of first ministers in Vancouver to feature an East-West brawl over pipelines. Unless the premiers of the energy-producing provinces are irresistibly inclined to lead a charge on windmills, they have no reason to get on their high horses in […]
Politics This Morning: Trudeau to discuss climate change action with indigenous leaders
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will be in Vancouver to meet with indigenous leaders on climate change issues ahead of the First Ministers meeting on the same topic taking place tomorrow. “Canada’s indigenous peoples have a sacred relationship with the earth. Their unique perspective will help guide us in developing policies that ensure our land, air […]
Future of pipelines, Canadian oil could be next ballot box question, industry experts say
Oil industry experts outlined a gloomy forecast of economic prospects not just in Alberta, but across Canada, with no sea change in public views about pipelines and, most notably, Alberta’s oil sands industry at the Manning Centre Conference in Ottawa Saturday. The oil sands, a principal source of most negative opinion about the oil industry, […]
Renewable electricity is Canada’s climate opportunity
“We see this as an opportunity.” That’s how Environment and Climate Change Minister Catherine McKenna optimistically summed up her recent meeting with her provincial counterparts, in which they took stock of the gap between where carbon pollution is today and where it needs to be. And she’s right. For too long, too much of the […]
Politics This Morning: Trudeau to meet UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will hold a bilateral meeting with United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon at 11 a.m. in his Centre Block office. The two are expected to discuss climate change issues, the ongoing Syrian refugee crisis, and how Canada can contribute more to the United Nations. During the election campaign and since coming […]
Trudeau delivers important message of patience
OTTAWA—When he landed in Alberta for two days of meetings this week, Justin Trudeau had a number of options. I suppose he could have charismatically willed the price of oil back up to $100 per barrel. He could simply, as the Conservative opposition in Ottawa keeps telling him, just build a pipeline already. He could […]
Mayoral support crucial for pipelines
EDMONTON—Kudos to Justin Trudeau and Alberta’s Rachel Notley for taking the time to talk face to face about the province’s economic challenges on Wednesday. The Liberal prime minister has a compelling interest in keeping the channels open with the NDP premier. If Trudeau can’t get along with Notley, he is unlikely to get along with […]
Trudeau can’t have it both ways on pipelines: or can he?
GATINEAU, QUE.—When it comes to pipelines—and particularly Energy East—Prime Minister Justin Trudeau keeps insisting he wants to get Alberta’s chief resource to international markets, but in “responsible, sustainable” ways. What he doesn’t acknowledge, but must know, is that these goals are contradictory. Pipelines will, inevitably, produce more greenhouse gases—not in their operation, or construction, necessarily, […]
Politics This Morning: AG Ferguson to release reports
Auditor General Michael Ferguson will release his Fall 2015 reports today on a number of important topics. There will be six reports and a special examination on Crown corporations. The first report takes a look at whether departments performed adequate gender-based analysis in its government decisions following the recommendations in the 2009 report on this […]
