Trudeau Undermines Our Energy Sector - I Say it Deserves Our Support

Alberta Premier Jason Kenney has called for financial support from Ottawa to ride out the perfect storm of collapsing oil prices, a Saudi-Russia price war, rail blockades and years of damage caused by the Trudeau government that has devastated the province's economy.

Alberta has always been there for Canada and has contributed mightily to our national prosperity, including infrastructure in Eastern provinces. When it needs help, I believe all of Canada must respond.

The men and women who work in the oil and natural gas sectors, whether in the Prairies or offshore, deserve our respect and support through these incredibly difficult times. They are not looking for handouts, but just a fair chance to succeed without being held back by a federal government that is hostile to the development and sale of our nation's resources.

In my first 100 days as Prime Minister, I will repeal Bills C-48 and C-69 that have effectively blocked the shipment of all future oil and natural gas exports from major fields to our major trading partners.

Canada and the world need more oil and natural gas produced from Alberta, Saskatchewan, B.C. and Newfoundland and Labrador, not less; energy that can be ethically produced by world-class companies using the most advanced Canadian technology and in the most environmentally responsible and sustainable way possible.

Justin Trudeau has failed to help Canada get our oil and gas to global markets where it can command the best possible price and contribute to the fight against climate change, especially our LNG which can significantly contribute to the worldwide effort to reduce reliance on coal.  

He has also failed Canadians by blocking the expansion of oil and gas pipelines to the East—the safest means of energy transportation—so we can all benefit from a low-cost, reliable, secure and Canadian source of energy. We need to achieve complete national energy independence without the importation of foreign oil. Shipping it around the continent via the Panama Canal is costly, risky and is not a long-term solution.  

It is a failure of national leadership to forgo the development and export of our nation's energy assets that are in use by virtually every human on the planet and will be for the foreseeable future. If not our energy, whose? Russia? Venezuela? Saudi Arabia?

I refuse to impoverish Canada.

As Prime Minister, I will formalize agreements with our First Nations that respect their treaty rights and provide meaningful and lasting economic benefits from all future oil sands and energy transmission projects. I will insist on thorough environmental assessments but will not allow the process to be weaponized by those who only want to thwart every energy project conceived by using any means available.

I will respect provincial regulatory autonomy in the planning and approval of all energy projects and will work with them to ensure they are constructed quickly and without undue interference or blockade. Clear timelines will be put in place.

I will work with provinces to ensure we allow the responsible exploration and development of Canada’s natural resources. This includes support for clean energy conversion efforts with investments in innovation and technology to further reduce or eliminate carbon emissions from coal-fired generation in the production of the oil sands.  

Enhanced oil sands and natural gas production and greater access to global markets for both Canadian oil and natural gas will contribute massive economic wealth for the benefit of all Canadians. This will be a key part of a strategy to accelerate our economic recovery in the post-COVID world and to continue to support investments in priorities such as infrastructure, healthcare, and education.

Justin Trudeau may think budgets balance themselves.  They do not.  In the face of critics and protests, I will provide the leadership Canada needs to move energy projects forward and to get our economy back on track.  Canadian workers, their families and all of our communities from coast to coast to coast deserve nothing less.