Prime Minister Mark Carney made it clear that he has no intention of repealing the controversial Bill C-69, dubbed popularly as the “no more pipelines bill.”
Carney has pledged to spur the development of Canadian energy infrastructure projects with the use of federal emergency powers deemed to be in Canada’s national interest.
However, Carney admitted that a re-elected Liberal government would not move to repeal the Trudeau-era Bill C-69 which placed severe restrictions on pipeline development.
“We do not plan to repeal Bill C-69, to answer your question,” Carney told reporters.
“What we have said and made very clear…is that we will move for projects of national interest to remove duplication in terms of environmental assessments and other approvals. And we will follow, as the federal government, the principle of one project, one approval to move forward from that.”
The Trudeau government’s controversial Bill C-69 led to the Impact Assessment Act which created a stringent approval process for the energy industry to approve their projects and the Canadian Energy Regulator Act which imposed numerous regulations on the industry.
Provincial governments already have regulations and approval processes for major resource extraction and energy projects that are duplicated by the even more stringent approval process provided for in the Impact Assessment Act.
For example, oil and natural gas companies seeking to build a new pipeline must comply with numerous provincial laws and regulations, including the Pipeline Act, the Environmental Protection and Enhancement Act, the Water Act, and more.
Carney’s commitment to keeping Bill C-69 contradicts his commitment to the principle of “one project, one approval,” as provincial approvals would be duplicated by the federal government.
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith slammed Carney’s affirmation of Bill C-69, claiming the prime minister made contradicting promises to her behind closed doors.
“Less than 2 weeks ago (Mark Carney) told me in person that C-69 was a barrier to large national energy projects and needed to be dealt with. Now he says he has no intention to do anything with it,” said Smith.
“Make no mistake. If this law stays there will be few if any large scale energy infrastructure projects built in this country and Alberta and Saskatchewan will be cut off from international markets. This means Canada will become MORE vulnerable to and overly dependent on the United States.”
Smith also criticized Carney for buying pipelines in the United States and worldwide during his time as the chair of Brookfield Asset Management, something Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre has also slammed Carney for.
“Given his refusal to repeal the ‘no new pipelines’ law, Canadians need to know why
“(Mark Carney) is so against building Canadian pipelines while his company buys pipelines in the U.S. and around the world,” said Smith.
In contrast, Poilievre has said that he would repeal Bill C-69 if elected prime minister to get energy projects built.