Alberta Premier Danielle Smith restated her province’s commitment to achieving a carbon-neutral economy by 2050 during a parliamentary committee meeting focused on Canada’s emissions reduction plan for the next decade. The discussion became heated as Bloc Quebecois MP Patrick Bonin persistently pressed Smith on her views regarding climate change. Smith, in turn, highlighted the significance of Canada’s major industries, suggesting Bonin may not fully grasp the complexities involved.
Despite Bonin’s repeated inquiries on climate change and human-induced warming, Smith initially evaded direct answers, shifting the conversation towards forest management practices and Alberta’s emissions reduction strategy for 2050. The interaction escalated with both parties talking over each other until Liberal chair Angelo Iacono intervened to restore order.
Eventually, Smith acknowledged the reality of climate change and human contributions to it but refrained from labeling human activities as the primary driver. Emphasizing the necessity to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050, Smith stressed the importance of their outlined plan.
Regarding Canada’s emissions reduction goals, the government aims to decrease emissions by 40 to 45 percent below 2005 levels by 2030 and ultimately achieve net-zero emissions by 2050. Prime Minister Mark Carney recently outlined the upcoming climate competitiveness strategy that prioritizes economic outcomes over emission targets.
During the committee session, Smith highlighted concerns about energy investments flowing out of Canada to the United States due to regulatory constraints. She criticized certain government policies affecting the oil and gas sector and called for their repeal to retain capital investment within Canada.
Additional efforts to address regulatory hurdles include the Building Canada Act, implemented to expedite project approvals deemed to be in the national interest. Despite positive reception, some stakeholders call for broader application of the Act to streamline the approval and construction processes for energy projects.
Smith’s statements were echoed by industry representatives at a conference, underscoring the urgency to enhance regulatory certainty and attract investments to bolster Canada’s energy sector competitiveness.
