Close X
Thursday, October 31, 2024
ADVT 
National

Jason Kenney Talks Pipelines With Trudeau After Election Win, Calls It Cordial

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 18 Apr, 2019 09:13 PM

    EDMONTON — Jason Kenney, Alberta's incoming premier, said he cordially talked pipelines Wednesday with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau — Kenney's political nemesis and his election campaign pinata — and said the plan is to meet soon for a one-on-one.


    "He called to offer his congratulations. We spoke for about 15 minutes," Kenney said outside Alberta's legislature building.


    "We had a respectful conversation about a number of issues, including the need to get Canadian energy to foreign markets."


    Kenney said he and Trudeau will try to meet shortly after Kenney and his new United Conservative government are sworn in on April 30.


    It was a much anticipated conversation, given that Kenney successfully leveraged voter dissatisfaction with Trudeau in Alberta's election, painting NDP Premier Rachel Notley as a weak enabler of federal energy policies he says are undermining its oil and gas sector.


    On Tuesday, Kenney's United Conservatives won a strong majority government over Notley's NDP, reducing core NDP support to mainly the city of Edmonton.


    Kenney and Notley have attacked the federal Liberals on proposed legislation, including a tanker ban on the northern B.C. coast and Bill C-69.


    Bill C-69, now before the Senate, creates new approval rules for energy projects, which Kenney calls an unconstitutional power grab on areas of provincial authority.


    The Kenney-Trudeau nexus is expected to play a pivotal role as the UCP work to implement its core campaign promise to create more jobs and grow the oil and gas sector.


    Kenney has promised to fight Bill C-69 in court. He will also go to court to try to stop the federal government from imposing a carbon tax on Alberta once his UCP follows through next month on its promise to repeal the Alberta-made carbon levy.


    Kenney, a former federal cabinet minister under Stephen Harper, has said the mere existence of Trudeau in power threatens Alberta's economic prospects and has said he will do whatever he can to see Trudeau defeated in the fall election.


    The fight is also personal. Almost a year ago, Kenney, in a newspaper interview, dismissed Trudeau as a dilettante and a lightweight.


    "I know Justin. He doesn't have a clue what he’s doing. This guy is an empty trust-fund millionaire who has the political depth of a finger bowl,” Kenney said at the time.


    Kenney said Wednesday that the plan, for now, is to be positive.


    "We will begin with the path of diplomacy and try to find common ground," he said.


    "We hope that we don't need to use more forceful measures to assert Alberta's vital economic interests."


    Kenney also won the election on a promise to be more forceful with other provinces, saying that Albertans feel its neighbours are happy to share in the bounty of Alberta's oil wealth while opposing measures like pipelines to help it grow.


    In Quebec, Premier Francois Legault congratulated Kenney on his electoral victory Wednesday but said all parties in Quebec's legislature still oppose any new oil pipelines.


    Kenney said he also wants to start on a positive note with Legault, but added: "We don't think it's reasonable for other provinces, like Quebec, to take our equalization money while opposing pipeline projects that can help us pay the bills."


    Kenney has said that the first day of his government will see him proclaim into law a bill passed by Notley's legislature allowing Alberta to reduce oil flows to B.C. if B.C. continues to thwart the expansion of the Trans Mountain pipeline to take more Alberta oil to the West Coast.


    He said he plans to recall the legislature in the third week of May.

    MORE National ARTICLES

    Declining Foreign Adoptions Shutter Canadian Agencies, Leave Couples In Limbo

    Declining Foreign Adoptions Shutter Canadian Agencies, Leave Couples In Limbo
    VANCOUVER — Patricia and Aaron Pearson were overjoyed when, after four years of trying, they finally conceived their daughter Emma.    

    Declining Foreign Adoptions Shutter Canadian Agencies, Leave Couples In Limbo

    B.C. Introduces Law To Require Cars, Trucks Sold By 2040 Be Zero Emission

    B.C. Introduces Law To Require Cars, Trucks Sold By 2040 Be Zero Emission
    VICTORIA — All light-duty cars and trucks sold in British Columbia would have to be zero-emission by 2040 under legislation tabled Wednesday.

    B.C. Introduces Law To Require Cars, Trucks Sold By 2040 Be Zero Emission

    Man Dies After Being Chased By Police On Foot In Sechelt, B.C.

    Man Dies After Being Chased By Police On Foot In Sechelt, B.C.
    The RCMP say officers were escorting the man to a car on Tuesday afternoon when he allegedly fled and was found in area of thick blackberry bushes.

    Man Dies After Being Chased By Police On Foot In Sechelt, B.C.

    30-Yr-Old Amrendra Vijay Kumar Identified As Latest Targeted Shooting Victim In Surrey, B.C.

    SURREY, B.C. — A 30-year-old man from Surrey, B.C., has been identified as the victim of the latest targeted shooting in that city.

    30-Yr-Old Amrendra Vijay Kumar Identified As Latest Targeted Shooting Victim In Surrey, B.C.

    Vancouver VAISAKHI Parade Taking Place On April 13, Thousands Expected To Attend

    Vancouver VAISAKHI Parade Taking Place On April 13, Thousands Expected To Attend
    Once again Vancouver will be host to the Vaisakhi Parade. The annual Vaisakhi Parade, takes place on April 13, 2019 in Vancouver, British Columbia.

    Vancouver VAISAKHI Parade Taking Place On April 13, Thousands Expected To Attend

    Richmond B.C. Man Convicted Of Distracted Driving Despite Dead iPhone Battery

    Richmond B.C. Man Convicted Of Distracted Driving Despite Dead iPhone Battery
    The decision, delivered Monday by judicial justice Brent Adair in Richmond, says Patrick Grzelak was using his iPhone with earbuds in his ears.

    Richmond B.C. Man Convicted Of Distracted Driving Despite Dead iPhone Battery