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“I am a Canadian, free to speak without fear, free to worship in my own way, free to stand for what I think right, free to oppose what I believe wrong, or free to choose those who shall govern my country. This heritage of freedom I pledge to uphold for myself and all mankind.” ~~ John G. Diefenbaker

Premier Jason Kenney has issued the following statement on recent developments in the Senate on Bill C-48, the Oil Tanker Moratorium Act and Bill C-69, the Impact Assessment Act

Alberta Premier Jason Kenney

The Government of Alberta is deeply disappointed that the Senate of Canada decided by a vote of 38-53 to reject the report of the Senate Standing Committee on Transport and Communications on Bill C-48. After extensive consultation and study, the committee had decided to delete the bill, in part because it constitutes an obvious discriminatory attack on the Province of Alberta and our job-creating energy industry.

The committee members could find no compelling rationale for this bill, given that it only targets one product, Alberta bitumen, and does not restrict oil tanker shipments elsewhere on Canada’s coastlines. I urge the Senate to reconsider the negative impact this bill will have on national unity at debate on third reading.

Should Bill C-48 be passed into law, Alberta will launch an immediate constitutional challenge.

At the same time, I would like to thank and commend members of the Senate for having voted to accept the Standing Committee on Energy, the Environment and Natural Resources report on Bill C-69.

The initial version of the bill posed a massive threat to the future of Canada’s
energy sector and would jeopardize investor confidence in the Canadian economy more broadly. It would also further undermine national unity by making it virtually impossible for another pipeline project to be proposed in the future.

I commend the members of the Senate energy committee for having listened to these concerns, and reflecting them by adopting some 180 constructive amendments, including those proposed by the Government of Alberta, the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers and the Canadian Energy Pipelines Association.

While we believe the Senate’s revised version of Bill C-69 is still problematic, we believe that it is a very significant improvement, and therefore urge the Government of Canada to allow the bill to proceed to royal assent as amended.
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