JOHN’S, N.L. – Twelve environment groups across Canada say there will be no task for oilsands increase in a Canadian energy strategy.
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The strategy comes with Premier Brad Wall of Saskatchewan before criticized a number of his people for not show all about the grease and fuel businesses towards the economic system.
It also notes that the nation is a major energy producer, especially in the oil and gas industry, and it details how to move those products throughout the country via pipeline.
“But my point coming into this meeting, is what I would like – and not just from a document but from all of us as Canadians – is to reflect on the fact that we have this great resource”. We ought to use our own oil and add value to it here and then export it to markets other than the United States. Rather, it wanted to know what it needed to comply with to move forward as access to more markets is critical as Canada basically has one customer – the U.S.
Wall said he would be raising his concern at the meeting that gets underway today in St. John’s.
Yet, any strategy that focuses on integrating energy development, environmental issues and other matters is welcome, said Brenda Kenny, president and chief executive officer of the Canadian Energy Pipeline Association, whose members include Enbridge, TransCanada and Kinder Morgan.
The national strategy was announced as Nexen Energy apologized for a five million litre pipeline spill of bitumen, water and sand southeast of Fort McMurray, Alta.
Barlow said the “bedrock of a Canadian energy strategy” should halt extreme energy expansion, better regulate the oil and gas industry, shift subsidies to climate solutions and support jobs that reduce the climate footprint.
He also appeared to take a swipe at Alberta Premier Rachel Notley for seemingly giving the eastern provinces a veto over pipeline development in the West, following a meeting with Quebec Premier Philippe Couillard.
The Council of Canadians’ Andrea Harden-Donahue said while mention of renewable energy and efficiency were welcome, the agreement “falls short”.
Ontario’s Kathleen Wynne, the premier of Canada’s most populous province, said the agreement acknowledged “strong competing needs and differences of opinion”. “But the only way we can get to yes and guarantee those jobs will be created is if we can assure Canadians we are doing it in an environmentally sound and responsible way”.
Canadians should be both proud and grateful for lucrative reserves of oil and gas “which are not four-letter words”, he told the closing news conference. That’s why the latest poll shows 91% of Canadians want a national drug plan.
“Our province, with Ontario and B.C., are particularly advanced on that”.
Gallant said he would be disappointed if a national energy strategy is not reached this week, but said projects such as Energy East can still go ahead without it.
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Robert Skinner, an executive fellow at the School of Public Policy at the University of Calgary who worked on and studied energy strategies for decades, said it’s not surprising it falls short.
