I noticed a new headline today stating, “Why Canada’s Unemployment Rate is Rising Faster than in the USA.” I didn’t bother to read it because I couldn’t get past the thought that it could possibly be because our current Prime Minister has been on an unearned holiday since he was named Prime Minister in April. He campaigned as the only person capable of dealing with USA tariffs and with President Trump, and he wasn’t here to negotiate.
I may have lost track, but my records say so far, he has made nine trips out of Canada and multiple stops within Europe. He advised the press that he made many deals on rare minerals, other products and LNG during his travels. He didn’t distinguish if he was buying or selling rare minerals. However, it didn’t sound like he had any final commitments on paper yet. He dropped into Poland, Germany and several other European countries. I couldn’t help thinking he was copying President Trump tripping around the world to raise his profile with various world leaders. He did mention promising Germany to make LNG available to them in the future but didn’t offer any details on how he planned to do that, or when.
It’s time for Carney’s unearned vacation to end, and as Prime Minister, to begin working on making Canada that ‘energy superpower’ he promised, along with lots of jobs. He also needs to deal with Canada’s other trade products and partner challenges. He didn’t mention having any specific discussions around farm products, aluminum or steel, or other products Canadians and companies are anxious to sell.
He needs to get back into tariff negotiations with the USA, as his counterparts haven’t been too successful during their visits.
As for Alberta, Premier Smith first wants some progress on dropping the Trudeau anti-resource development laws that we have battled for so many years. To propose and approve timing of other major infrastructure projects, rail expansions and transmission lines across Canada should be next on his list. There is currently endless red tape to change and/or get rid of fast-tracking most projects. The net-zero initiatives need to end, along with the 10-year green energy crusade. The Trudeau government awarded over $300 million in grants to anti-petroleum environmental activist groups to demonize our industry, and penalized us with anti-pipeline and anti-fossil fuel legislation. Thousands of people lost their jobs due to these anti-fossil fuel policies putting Canada in second-last place from the bottom in ratings among the G-7 countries. Job losses spread across Canada in manufacturing and construction sectors, as well as many other businesses and investors left Canada. It wasn’t just Alberta that got hurt!
Carney’s announcement that he appointed Dawn Farrell, Trans Mountain’s former CEO to CEO of the federal major projects office to be headquartered in Calgary was positive. She will oversee identifying projects in Canada’s national interest and fast-tracking their development. Carney has named and prioritized port expansions in Contrecoeur near Montreal and Port of Churchill in northern Manitoba. He said, “The current shipping season of four months’ in Churchill is set to extend with warmer temperatures due to climate change.”
Climate change? I’m betting it will always only be open for four months without some new ice breakers.
