While our Premier (Joe Generous) is finding ways to save Canada from its energy woes - his idol - Alberta - is not so infatuated with security of supply.
While attending the Premiers meet - greet - and heat - Danny Williams was very magnanimous with our potential power from the Lower Churchill. He was gushing over Newfoundland and Labrador's ability to supply superior energy to "Canada".
A Montreal Gazette story on Saturday was commenting on the Security and Prosperity conference being held in Quebec between Canada - United States - and Mexico. The piece points out that while Harper says Canada is an energy superpower - Gordon Laxer, director of the Parkland Institute, a research network at the University of Alberta says "It's an energy satellite."
While Danny worries about Alberta's economy taking a hit with proposed emission targets - Alberta cares little about Newfoundland and Labrador.
Consider this:
We import close to one million barrels of oil a day to supply 90 per cent of market demand in Quebec and Atlantic Canada and about 35 per cent in Ontario.
Canada exports more than 1.6 million barrels of oil a day to the United States, close to two-thirds of our production. Guess where most of that comes from.
The story goes on to say:
When it comes to natural gas, Canada meets domestic needs with minimal - though growing - recourse to imports. But we continue to sell more natural gas to the United States than we consume ourselves, even though Canada has less than nine years of proven reserves at current levels of production.
Laxer continues:
Canada's current approach puts our long-term energy security at risk, Laxer said. "If Canadian governments don't look after Canadians, then who will? You can be sure the Americans are going to look after themselves."
Alberta is not likely to slow down its extreme production levels despite what that may mean for Canada in the short-term (environmental treaties) or the long-term (security of supply). Despite this obvious self-serving policy in Alberta - our Premier is going to be a gentleman - save Canada (Ontario Nova Scotia New Brunswick and Alberta) from itself.
Williams is determined to fuel the economy of Ontario by exporting our superior energy from the Lower Churchill. As Ontario's Minister of Energy - Dwight Duncan said earlier this year:
"...the planned Lower Churchill project fits perfectly with Ontario's future energy demands."This is clean, green, renewable power that we'd like to get into the southern Ontario market..." "We have an air quality problem. We have a need for new power.
If Ontario has an air quality problem and shortage of supply - our policy should be to remove some of the industry from them - not to give them more power to crush our own economic potential and the subsequent loss of our people.
All the Premiers except one would go along with reduction in tail-pipe emissions - Ontario of course - because they will protect their 325 thousand jobs in the auto-sector. What a joke Danny - what a joke.
