Joint Statement: Premier Smith, Minister Jean Respond to Build Canada Now CEO Letter

Premier Danielle Smith and Minister of Energy and Minerals Brian Jean issued the following statement on industry group “Build Canada Now” calling on federal party leaders to call an energy crisis and prioritize energy projects:

“Alberta’s energy sector has long been the economic engine of Canada and has never been more critical to Canadian sovereignty and prosperity.

“During the last decade of Liberal-NDP government, multiple destructive energy policies have resulted in more than $280 billion dollars in projects being delayed, cancelled or shut in by the proponents. These are projects that would have created tens of thousands of jobs, generated hundreds of billions in government revenues, secured energy security for Eastern Canada and made our nation less dependent on the United States.

“Ottawa’s elected eco-extremists have done everything they can to keep our oil and gas in the ground – that has to change now.

“We wholeheartedly support the call by Canada’s energy business leaders to find a new way of getting major projects built. Over the last couple of months, we have seen the discussion around our oil and gas shifting across the country, and these industry leaders have captured this spirit perfectly in their letter to the federal party leaders.

“The world is desperately looking for predictable, affordable and accessible energy. Alberta has one of the largest oil and gas deposits on the planet, including by far the largest of any free and democratic nation. Our recently released study on Alberta’s oil and gas reserves found 1.36 quadrillion cubic feet of gas and 1.8 trillion barrels of oil, of which more than 130 trillion cubic feet of gas and 167 billion barrels of oil are recoverable with today’s technology.

“To leave this treasured resource in the ground would be an outright betrayal of current and future generations of Canadians. And yet, that has been the mantra of the Liberal-NDP government for the last decade.

“The new prime minister needs to call an election immediately so the next government can begin to undo the tremendous damage the previous federal government has done to this country, and most especially, to Alberta.”

Please see the official version of this statement on the Government of Alberta website here.