EDMONTON, AB (January, 2016): With Quebec mayors hypocritically opposing the Energy East pipeline, it’s clear the NDP government’s plan for a new carbon tax to get the “social license” for pipelines is failing, the Wildrose Official Opposition said.
Thursday, Montreal Mayor Denis Coderre was joined by other Quebec mayors in opposing the project that would bring an estimated $9.2 billion in economic benefits to the province of Quebec alone.
Wildrose Leader Brian Jean said the NDP government’s strategy around pipelines is failing, and it’s time for the NDP to start sticking up for Alberta against unfair attacks.
“While Mr. Coderre dumps a billion litres of raw sewage directly into his waterways and benefits from billions in equalization payments, his opposition to the Energy East pipeline is nothing short of hypocritical,” Jean said. “Montreal buys millions of barrels of foreign oil from dictatorships, but it is rejecting oil from their friends in confederation – it’s disgraceful! This is a project that will benefit all of Canada, and will improve our GDP by $55 billion. It’s time that Rachel Notley realizes this and starts fighting for Alberta. Albertans are already hurting, the last thing they need now is a $3 billion carbon tax grab that is not bringing any new benefits to Alberta.”
Wildrose Shadow Economic Development and Trade Minister Prasad Panda said if the provincial and federal governments were interested in helping Alberta’s economy, all efforts should be put towards increasing market access.
“The federal Liberals have brought forward tanker bans and new regulatory reviews, while the NDP government has only raised taxes on our energy industry,” Panda said. “There’s no better program for creating jobs and improving the economy and government revenues than building new pipelines to tidewater, and it’s time our provincial government and our federal government got fully on board.”