SUPPORTING THE DEVELOPMENT OF CANAPUX
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EXPANDING REFINING IN ALBERTA
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SUSPENSION OF OILSANDS DEVELOPMENT
The GPA would Suspend the Development of additional oil sands projects until the impacts of existing and approved projects on the environment, infrastructure and society were assessed and an overall development policy was created. |
RAPID TRANSITION TO RENEWABLE ENERGY
The GPA recognizes climate change as a serious threat to humanity globally. We also recognize Alberta’s ethical obligation to contribute to the solution of climate change and support an orderly transition from dependence on fossil fuel exploitation to reliance on the full range of renewable energy sources available in the province, including wind, solar power and geo-thermal. |
Getting the Trans Mountain Pipeline Expansion Project Built
The Trans Mountain Expansion Project is the safest way to get our oil to new markets and get a better price for it. We must diversify our customer base, and twinning and upgrading an existing pipeline is the most responsible way to do it. The critical National Energy Board environment review and Indigenous consultation and accommodation processes were botched by successive federal governments, and led to the Federal Court of Appeal striking down the approval on constitutional grounds. Alberta Liberal Leader David Khan is a constitutional law lawyer, he understands how Canada’s Constitution works and the right way to effectively consult and accommodate First Nations’ concerns. There is no shortcut to fulfilling the constitutional duty to consult. Declaring the project, already under federal jurisdiction, a “federal undertaking” will not change its status or get it built. There is no way to override section 35 of the Constitution that recognizes and affirms Aboriginal and Treaty rights. First Nations must be properly consulted at the highest levels and their concerns meaningfully accommodated. The project will also not be built by attacking Ottawa, banning BC wine, threatening to shut off oil exports, or firing up a “War Room” to battle the Feds. This will only hurt our own industry and province. However, we cannot trust the federal government to get this right. Alberta Liberals will immediately demand an interim report that details their efforts to comply with the Federal Court of Appeal’s decision and the status of the consultation process with affected First Nations in Alberta and British Columbia. Albertans deserve to be treated like adults and be informed of the federal government's progress to date on moving the Trans Mountain Expansion Project forward on their behalf. Thousands of jobs and billions of revenue dollars are at stake. All we have is silence. Albertans have a right to be stressed. Another delay could further sink our economy. Amending and Improving Bill C-69 Bill C-69 is deeply flawed and must be amended. The world has changed; today’s international investors demand not only regulatory certainty, but also socially-responsible investing. There is an opportunity for Canada to turn the tables and go from a lack of investment in our energy industry to attracting increasing investment by demonstrating that we are respecting Indigenous and human rights and addressing the environment and sustainability with every project we undertake. Alberta Liberals will join with Alberta’s energy industry to demand specific amendments to this bill that balance economic, social and environmental concerns, including:
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Fixing Canada’s Equalization Payments Formula
Canada’s equalization formula, created by Mr. Kenney and Mr. Harper, is unfair to energy-producing provinces like Alberta and Saskatchewan, but a “referendum” based on threatening separation will not give us the power to demand changes or amend Canada’s Constitution. Albertans are generous and care about our neighbours in Confederation, but we expect fairness. An Alberta Liberal government will demand the current formula be amended to treat hydro-producing provinces' revenue generated by their hydro Crown corporations the same way we treat Alberta’s oil and gas royalties, or we will set up an Alberta Crown corporation that will collect energy royalties and remove them from the current equalization formula calculations, making it fairer for everyone. We will also demand an improvement to the mechanism that provides financial help to provinces in time of economic need, whether they are usually “have” or “have not” provinces. Ending Government Boondoggles We will put an end to government boondoggles and interference in the market. Alberta has wasted billions over the years on interventionist boondoggles. If more refineries are economically feasible in Alberta, let’s let markets decide. We will establish an independent panel of experts to review and make recommendations on any proposed future taxpayer-financed, value-added investment in the energy sector. We will cancel the NDP’s costly and risky oil-by-railcar shipping plan. Governments should only intervene in the market when there is a major failure. An Alberta Liberal Government will change our fiscal structure to create a business-friendly environment to allow businesses to grow, build, and employ Albertans. Re-Igniting the Energy East Pipeline Project Canada needs greater energy independence and Alberta needs access to markets. A pipeline east just makes sense. We need to reignite the Energy East pipeline project and replace oil imports in eastern Canada with more ethical and environmentally-responsible made-in-Alberta oil. We demand the Federal government show national leadership and restart this important national infrastructure project. It’s a Win-Win-Win. Growing Renewable Energy Green initiatives like renewable energy represent an economic opportunity for Alberta. Alberta Liberals will create the business and regulatory environment to allow green initiatives like renewable energy to grow and thrive, and carefully support renewable energy projects, including congregation plants that convert excess energy into usable power. |
More Value and Jobs from Alberta Oil
We will continue to fight for additional pipeline capacity, including getting the Trans Mountain expansion built. We will continue to ensure we get full value for our resources. In the short term we will carefully manage curtailment to prevent the price differential from artificially rising. In the medium term we will make sure the crude-by-rail plan to get more product to market generates profits for Albertans. And over the long term we will fight for greater pipeline capacity to ensure we have access to markets overseas which reduces our reliance on the U.S. We will work with industry to unlock $75 billion in new investment and 70,000 new jobs through a major expansion of refining, upgrading and petrochemical production capacity. |
We will complete the High and Heavy Load corridor network to facilitate moving large industrial equipment around the province.
We will adopt a series of reforms to speed up and streamline regulatory processes for oil and gas projects without undermining environmental and safety standards. Reforms will include full implementation of the One-Stop online platform for applications by the end of 2020, and establishing the Alberta Regulatory Competitive Task Force, led by the Department of Energy and comprised of industry representatives and all applicable government ministries. We will review transportation regulations related to oil well drilling, including considering re-classifying rigs as off-road vehicles, creating an annual provincial road permit, and pushing the federal government to harmonize rig classification standards to improve cross-border operations. We will continue to fight Bill C-48 and call for significant amendments to Bill C-69. |
Getting Pipelines Built
• Immediately file a constitutional challenge to strike down Justin Trudeau’s “No More Pipelines” Bill C-69 (should it become law) as a violation of Section 92 of the Constitution Act, which gives Alberta clear, exclusive jurisdiction over the production of oil and gas • Use the “Turn off the Taps” legislation should provinces, including British Columbia, continue to obstruct the construction of pipelines • Build an interprovincial coalition of provinces which support jobs, pipelines, and our energy industry, making it a top issue in federalprovincial relations • Hold a referendum on removing equalization from the Constitution Act on October 18, 2021 if substantial progress is not made on construction of a coastal pipeline, and if Trudeau’s Bill C-69 is not repealed |
