Opinion: The actual existential risk to Alberta

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In early October 2023, the Supreme Court docket of Canada nullified Invoice C-69, higher generally known as the No Extra Pipelines Act. The choice constrained, if not considerably eradicated, federal intrusion into provincial jurisdiction over the surroundings. The Supreme Court docket’s determination was shocking on condition that this identical courtroom just lately dominated that the federal authorities has constitutional authority to impose a federal carbon tax, whatever the actuality of provincial jurisdiction.

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A central element of Invoice C-69 was the requirement for open-ended local weather impression assessments as a part of the approval course of for power infrastructure to be performed by the Impression Evaluation Company of Canada. Primarily, any mission creating incremental emissions may very well be rejected whatever the mission’s financial profit to Canada, creating untenable funding danger.

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The courtroom’s determination was joyously obtained by Albertans who’ve vigorously opposed C-69, together with most and present federal local weather and power insurance policies. However, predictably, the Liberal authorities has didn’t acknowledge the importance of the Supreme Court docket’s ruling, whereas persisting with local weather coverage components which might be basically unacceptable to Alberta. Probably the most notable being the decarbonization of Alberta’s electrical era system and mandated emission reductions within the hydrocarbon manufacturing sector, whereas making no concessions to the huge financial prices that will likely be imposed on Alberta and the Canadian economic system.

As this has all unfolded, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s authorities has one way or the other discovered it acceptable to selectively exempt Atlantic Canadians from paying federal carbon taxes on residence heating oil whereas nonetheless imposing the tax on different Canadians dealing with comparable affordability points. However then once more, some Canadian emitters are extra Liberal than others. Hypocrisy abounds.

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Whatever the UN local weather course of, the worldwide worth of hydrocarbons has not diminished materially. Varied nations, most notably Canada and america, have even elevated hydrocarbon manufacturing because the Paris Local weather Accord virtually 10 years in the past.

Attempting to part out and exchange hydrocarbons on a world scale will trigger important will increase in the price of power and its reliability. Sure, local weather danger does exist and needs to be collectively handled by the world’s developed economies, inclusive of China and India. And whereas it’s a danger that’s induced by means of fossil fuels over time, it needs to be addressed with the online prices and advantages of continued hydrocarbon use in thoughts.

Beneath the Liberal authorities, Canada has gleefully embraced decarbonization regardless of its financial value, measured by way of affordability, reliability, competitiveness and misplaced financial worth from foregone export alternatives. And nowhere will these prices be extra onerous and unjustified than in Alberta.

Nonetheless, Albertans have lengthy understood that our province’s pursuits are at odds with federal Liberal and NDP insurance policies. Probably the most important query for Albertans to think about is whether or not a federal Conservative authorities can reverse probably the most perverse and damaging federal local weather and power insurance policies. Particularly, the next should be addressed:

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• Canada’s legislated goal of internet zero by 2050.
• Federal carbon tax to be decided primarily based on the web prices and advantages of continued hydrocarbon manufacturing and consumption.
• Limiting federal carbon tax to the extent imposed by the economies of Canada’s main buying and selling companions.
• Making certain federal carbon tax is utilized equally to all Canadians.
• Federal carbon tax remaining income impartial, not rising the general tax collected by the federal authorities.
• No emission discount mandates imposed on particular sectors or provinces.

These actions are what needs to be anticipated of federal Conservatives. It’s not sufficient to easily object to current federal insurance policies and assume that’s sufficient. The actions listed above would be certain that Canada, and particularly Alberta, don’t face unreasonable and disproportionate sacrifice to cut back local weather danger. Something much less popping out of the following federal election dangers the deconstruction of Alberta’s economic system.

Dennis McConaghy, a former government vice-president at TransCanada Corp., now TC Vitality, has just lately revealed his third ebook, Carbon Change: Canada on the Brink of Decarbonization.

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