Bell: 'Productive discussions' — Smith and Carney talking big energy projects for Alberta
'I can tell you there are ways we can find accommodation,' says Premier Danielle Smith, on negotiating with Prime Minister Mark Carney
Author of the article:
By
Rick Bell
Published Jun 14, 2025
Last updated 3 hours ago
3 minute read
Well what do have here from the office of Alberta Premier Danielle Smith?
Prime Minister Mark Carney and Smith have now both named teams of negotiators “for the purpose of collaborating on the advancement of major energy projects of national interest that involve Alberta.”
The teams involve cabinet ministers and senior officials appointed to this “federal-provincial Table.”
In the case of Alberta, Smith has already said the team is two cabinet ministers — Jason Nixon and Rajan Sawhney — and two deputy ministers and Rob Anderson, the premier’s right-hand man.
The statement continues with a key line.
“Discussions have been productive thus far.”
“Wanting to maximize the chances of positive outcomes” the two sides won’t be commenting on specifics until they decide to issue a further update.
Now a lot of what Smith said at the Global Energy Show in Calgary in answer to questions from the scribbler makes sense.
In Calgary, Smith said there are “ways we can find accommodation” with Carney.
Along with the premier wanting a bitumen pipeline to the port of Prince Rupert in B.C., Alberta will also want changes to anti-oil policies cooked up when Justin Trudeau was the Liberal prime minister.
“He has to say he’s not having the emissions cap and that means not bringing it in. Not acting would be a positive,” says the premier.
No Liberal cap on oil and gas emissions is one of the nine demands Smith has made to Carney.
Smith said in the past you can’t really build more pipelines and increase oil production in a big way and have the cap.
Then there’s the tanker ban off the west coast. How about only lifting the tanker ban around Prince Rupert?
“On the issue of the tanker ban, maybe we come to an agreement that if all roads lead to the port of Prince Rupert just carve out Prince Rupert so you can protect the rest of the coast. I can live with that,” said Smith.
Smith also said she has already announced the Alberta government opposes an increase in the industrial carbon tax.
“If he can accept that then I think we have some common ground.”
Smith’s nine demands also include deep-sixing or overhauling Ottawa’s No More Pipelines law.
“I’m prepared to go through these demands one at a time to see what the common ground might be.
“We’ll go through these one at a time and hopefully we will be able to make some progress.”
Smith wants to see that progress by the fall of this year.
Meanwhile, disappointment and discontent haven’t gone away in Alberta.
In fact, at the Global Energy Show in Calgary, the obvious rumblings of separatism made their way into this gathering of high-powered energy players.
People talked about it.
Smith knows there are Albertans plenty pissed off at the election of yet another Liberal government after a destructive decade with a Liberal government.
So the question. What is the risk if, after all the talk, Carney doesn’t play ball?
What will be the level of frustration, the political temperature, if that happens?
The premier has a warning.
“I hope the prime minister doesn’t want to test it,” says Smith.
“Because I take it seriously.”
Premier Danielle Smith speaks at the Global Energy Show at the BMO Centre in Calgary on Wednesday, June 11, 2025. Brent Calver/Postmedia
Smith points out if Carney does the right thing and deals with Alberta’s legitimate beefs the temperature will go down.
She adds her nine demands are not the only “tensions we have with the federal government.”
No matter the discussion, there is always the pipeline to Prince Rupert and whether it will make the cut when it comes to Carney’s list of fast-tracked projects in the national interest.
“I think for our sake and for the country’s sake I can’t imagine there will be another project on the national list that will generate as much revenue, as many jobs as a bitumen pipeline to the coast,” says Smith.
“That will be my pitch. I hope he is willing to work with us on it. He seems to be giving us the indication he is.”
Carney giving an indication he is willing to work with Alberta.
Now we know what she means.
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