If the goal of Danielle Smith’s “historic” pipeline announcement yesterday was to distract voters and media from Alberta’s looming teachers’ strike, increasing health care chaos, unpopular separatist scheming, embarrassing oil company layoffs, and continuing procurement scandals, it appears to be working.
All the serious websites of the land were publishing learned treatises last night on the prospects for a pipeline to Prince Rupert or Kitimat on British Columbia’s North Coast and that province’s exasperated premier was giving the story oxygen by assailing his Alberta counterpart’s plan.
Well, this is all very entertaining, but if you think Alberta announcing it intends to spend a paltry $14 million on “early planning work including cost estimates” for a pre-plan for a proposal for a pipeline to a part of the coast where nobody wants one is going to result in anything getting built any time soon, you should probably give your head a shake.
Let me give you a hint: There’s a reason no corporation wants to invest in this scheme, and all the screaming from Alberta notwithstanding, it’s not because of what Ms. Smith calls “The Nine Bad Laws” passed when Justin Trudeau was prime minister of Canada. To lightly edit a turn of phrase made famous by former U.S. president Bill Clinton, it’s the market, stupid!
There are reasons the government of China, the world’s second most populous country located across the Pacific, is electrifying as fast as it can, and it’s not because there’s no million-barrel-a-day dilbit pipeline to the West Coast of Canada.
The fact that the leader the jurisdiction that includes most of Canada’s oilpatch aspires to be a loyal toady to Donald Trump, the unreliable U.S. president who has cast himself as an enemy of China, might have something to do with it. But the main reason is probably China’s recognition of the need to slow global climate change.
Alas, the participation of industry bosses, some Alberta First Nations leaders and Indigenous Relations Minister Rajan Sawhney on a “technical advisory group” to aid the proposal won’t change market realities.
A statement yesterday from First Nations leaders on the North Coast said, “As the Rights and Title holders of B.C.’s North and Central Coast and Haida Gwaii, we must inform Premier Smith once again that there is no support from Coastal First Nations for a pipeline and oil tankers project in our coastal waters.”
So Energy Minister Brian Jean is promoting a pipedream when he says, “We already see Canada as an energy powerhouse, and with the right infrastructure, moving toward superpower status is both realistic and achievable.”
“Increased market access from Alberta to tidewater will scale Canada’s export markets and diversification, while supporting the federal government’s newly stated ambition of becoming an energy superpower,” Mr. Jean added in his canned news-release quote, although it’s worth noting that the iron Law of Supply and Demand still suggests that more supply is not going to result in higher prices for Alberta bitumen.
As for Ms. Smith’s insistence that Alberta’s just taking the lead on drafting the proposal next May to Ottawa’s Major Projects Office (just in time for a snap early election) and any resulting actual project is bound to be financed by private investors, you can believe that if you wish.
But B.C. Premier David Eby was undoubtedly right when he described the subject of yesterday’s big announcement as “not a real project.”
“There is no project,” Mr. Eby said in a statement posted to social media. “There is no bridge to cross, unless the Albertan government and the federal Canadian government are committing billions of taxpayer dollars to build this project. And if that is the plan, then they should be transparent about it.”
No pipeline from Alberta to the West Coast will ever be built unless it’s bankrolled by taxpayers, and you can take that prediction to the bank.
Meanwhile, the ghastly state of Alberta’s health care system, which is apparently being allowed to crumble under the United Conservative Party’s ongoing “refocusing,” just got ghastlier.
A leaked memo to many non-union exempted employees of Alberta Health Services posted on X last night by @TheBreakdownAB informs them they will be required to take two days of unpaid time off between yesterday and March 31.
Describing the two-day layoff as “a one-time cost saving measure,” the memo from AHS Senior Finance and Shared Services Vice-President Erin O’Neill says, “vacation and personal leave time cannot be used in lieu of unpaid time off.”
“We understand that this will be difficult news and that any financial impact is particularly challenging at this time,” the memo says. “Please know that we explored many options before taking this step, but that it is necessary to meet our financial commitments….”
Presumed translation: We’re following UCP orders.
Smith is skilled at picking fights and creating distractions. She seems suited for this era, the reactionary times we are in now and no doubt she has also picked up even more tips on how to do this from all her trips to hang out with US right wingers.
So this pipeline proposal, currently totally unsupported by anything but a few provincial dollars, is a great example of her tactics at work. It may help her shift the political conversation away from things like education and health care at a time when she is really struggling with them and needs to try change the channel.
Smith is hoping most Albertans and political commentators will not notice or focus on that her proposal is unsupported by the private sector. It is like when Wile E Coyote has just gone off the cliff and if instead everyone just says look at him run. This does not seem a time when the mainstream calls out the Emperor’s lack of clothes enough, which is probably one reason why we get the leadership we have now and they often get away with it.
Excellent explanation. Medical specialists confirm that malignant narcissism is in incurable. Albertans need to acknowledge that they continue to be lied to by an out-of-control so-called leader.
Can it be surgically removed?
Literally a Pipe Dream
Smith is putting up so many distractions you would think that she is in the Epstein files!
To hear the premier’s chief of staff, yesterday’s not-a-pipeline news was going to be the next coming of the Messiah. Alas, it was just another distraction. No one except Postmedia types believed the hype anyways. Typical UCP: ours, ours, ours; give us money even though we didn’t do the homework assignment. Whine. Did they not learn how to behave in kindergarten?
Today the Health Sciences Association of Alberta is holding a rally. They’ve already rejected the province’s contract offer. Will they join the teachers on picket lines soon, too? Will Nate Horner order everyone back to work if they do?
Imagine a scenario where teachers under duress refused to coach both boys’ and girls’ sports teams because it is extra, unpaid work. What would that do to the UCP’s war on trans girls in sport? Think of the boys! Who would rat children out to their parents for requesting non-state-sanctioned name usage, or monitor state-approved pronouns? Would anyone collect state permission slips for sex education? Culture war calamity ahead! Oh well, parents get $30 a day for the 12-downs, so that should shut them up for a while. Wait a week when they realize how hard it is to take care of their own. They’ve already been begging on social media for people to tutor their kids for free while they pocket the cash.
What if health workers refused overtime work with Covid vaccinations severely restricted? Imagine the news photos out of the viral war zones, just like in early 2020. Someone will have to tour the hospital loading bays again, taking photos of reefer trucks. Just saying that with grocery warehouse workers out on strike, there should be plenty of reefers available for lease, so that’s a bonus.
With so many workers off the job, outsiders might mistake Alberta for the U.S. during shutdown. Let’s blame Joe Biden. Blaming Rachel Notley and Justin Trudeau is so boring.
B.C. Premier David Eby: “When I said ‘Let’s cross that bridge when we come to it, we’ll see what the premier comes up with,’ I’m being polite. Don’t mistake my politeness for weakness on protecting our economy and our coast.”
Eby could put a stop to the process right now with a simple NO.
The Building Canada Act requires provincial consent for national projects.
If Energy and Natural Resources Minister Tim Hodgson is to be believed, indigenous consent, however defined, is required, too. Although the Senate voted down a proposal to include free, prior and informed consent in the bill.
“C-5 sped through Parliament and was amended to require provincial consent for national projects, but the Senate voted down Mi’kmaw Sen. Paul Prosper’s proposed provision to include free, prior and informed consent in the language of the bill.
“… Carney has said Indigenous consultation is central to the major projects bill, but Indigenous leaders have said that’s a difficult promise to trust without explicit amendments.
“The Supreme Court has previously ruled First Nations have a right to be consulted on projects under Indigenous rights and title — but they do not have a final veto on if a project goes ahead.”
“Carney promises First Nations leaders prosperity for ‘generations to come’ at summit on major projects” (CBC, Jul 17, 2025)
DC, good to have you back. In reply to Geoffrey, I heard Eby’s comment as an unequivocal no. I was disappointed in Nenshi’s reaction. An unequivocal no would be far better than saying the NDP would do it better. The UCP is vulnerable on climate/environment. The war on green energy has been a huge miscalculation by the government. But NDP waffling is also a mistake. The NDP needs to capitalize on UCP blunders.
Thanks, Simon. Apologies to everyone for taking so long to post this most recent crop of comments. Life briefly intervened. DJC
(cont)
Energy and Natural Resources Minister Tim Hodgson: “What I will tell you, what the, what the prime minister has said very clearly, is that if we are going to build pipelines, it will be with the support of the jurisdictions affected. It will be with the support of Indigenous people. And to the extent that it involves oil, it will be decarbonized oil.
“… First, let me start with there is consultation around the bill. And then there will be consultation around every project. Consultation around every project for Free, Prior Informed Consent and honouring the responsibility under UNDRIP will be a condition on every single project. So nobody has done anything that is going to inhibit the full consultation for a particular project. So let, so let’s just, so that’s– let’s park that. Nothing has happened that is going to infringe on any right. In fact, the bill enshrines that every project will honour its duty to consult. … I think what’s really important, though, is look at what the prime minister did. The first thing he announced when the bill was passed was there would be full consultation with all Indigenous peoples — First Nations, Inuit and Métis. And that is starting first on July 17th. Those are the first [sham] meetings that are actually happening. They are happening with First Nations.
“Inside Indigenous backlash to fast-tracking mega projects” (CBC Front Burner: Jul 24, 2025)
Energy and Natural Resources Minister Tim Hodgson: “The prime minister has been clear. Is we would need consent from Indigenous peoples, from provinces and territories.
“Inside Indigenous backlash to fast-tracking mega projects” (CBC Front Burner: Jul 24, 2025)
But note the caveat in the last line below:
“‘Ass Backwards’: Canada’s New Legal Posture Post-Bill C-5” (The Tyee, 2025/06/24)
“Although recent amendments added language to the bill requiring provincial consent before deeming projects in the ‘national interest,’ that doesn’t include federally regulated projects like a bitumen pipeline to B.C.’s north coast …”
“Decarbonized oil”?
What’s next, dehydrated water?
If she was truly serious about a nation building oil pipeline project, look east.
1. Hardesty to Sarnia would replace Enbridge Line 5
a) thereby removing the potential of american politicians (Wittmer of Michigan) interference.
b) Enbridge Line 5 could then be reversed – from Ontario to Michigan, giving Canada far better trading negotiation position.
2. Sarnia could extend to New Brunswick (pending Quebec approval of course)
a) thereby nullifying the need to buy Saudi crude, keeping Canadian dollars in our economy.
b) retooling Maratime refineries to heavy crude also boosts Canadian economy.
c) supply enough capacity for export from East Coast, a new market altogether.
d) less supply to Gulf Coast eliminates price discount on WCS (Western Canadian Select) crude.
e) no tanker ban law to repeal.
I totally agree. It would be today’s version of a NEP that would help to ensure Canadian economic independence.
Silly me. I forgot that kindergarten used to be private pay in Alberta. When it did eventually become part of the public school system, it was not mandatory. It may be true that “All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten”, and it may also be true that many in our provincial government skipped that step. Can we insist that they complete their education after the strike, both for the greater good? There is a “me” in tEaM but there is no team without learning to share and to get along with others.
SO Premier Smith wants a national energy programme!
Does she not remember P.E Trudeau?
TB
Alberta voters are “special”. They hated the first Trudeau because he wanted to implement a national energy program. Then they hated the second Trudeau because he wouldn’t implement a national energy program. Albertans behave like petulant pre-teens.
Nobody in Alberta “remembers” P.E. Trudeau, as the population has been inculcated with an entirely fabricated history of the relationship of the province’s economy to that of the rest of earth during the period in question. “Pierre Trudeau stole my ride-on lawnmower and gave my wife syphilis”, anonymous Calgarian, 1986.
I think she wants an Alberta Energy Program, paid for by the RoC. Good luck, sister.
i suggest that the pipeline initiative is another tactic, which will become fodder for the separatist potentate, to further her agenda to break up our country.
she skirted around consequences a couple of times during the announcement, but the regime has got to know that wide spread opposition exists in B.C. to a second bitumen pipeline, even though it could facilitate increased access to asphalt for the asian markets.
when the market realities of cost combined with resistance to the project become more apparent, the potentate will turn apoplectic
and use the failure as an I told you so for her separatist base and grease their plan to dissolve the country.
Except that the “sEpErAtIsTs” (if you’ll excuse my SpongeBob syntax that is for them and not for you) are a tiny, unstable, sliver of Alberta’s electorate, and we all hate them, and think they’re stupid. I realize the folks who read this blog are in somewhat of a bubble, but let me tell you, regular albertans are FURIOUS with these freaks who want to break up our country. These people need to be shunned, and then run out of alberta on a rail that ends in Montana. Get the hell out.
@brad, I wish it wasn’t so but it is.
Dixie Dani is busy doing the bidding of the US Empire. On that, we agree. Because Canada would make Afghanistan look like a picnic at the beach, geography-wise, she’s just the vanguard in their attempt to overtake us.
This is how invasion starts with any Empire. Start by co-opting the local warlords with bribes, wreck the economic systems and force dependency and if and when that starts to cause massive rumblings amongst the peasant class suffering under the strain–march in the military and commit a wholesale slaughter in the major economic and power hub cities for resisting.
Did anyone *listen* to what Trump and Hegseth are asking of the military? They want to train them in urban environments against their own people and you can bet–that’s not the end game.
We are.
Once the military has been sufficiently prepared to abuse the civilian populace without complaint and the moral actors are weeded out they’ll strike.
And Dixie Dani and PP (without his security clearance wtf?) are actively laying the groundwork for this to happen whether because they are co-opted or because they’re just plain stupid.
I don’t care which. It won’t happen this year but if the USA does not implode first, it will happen this decade.
I’m not trying to be alarmist but anyone that’s followed the progress of American Imperialism can see this playbook for what it is.
I think you’ve hit the nail on its head, Brad. This is a win-win for the UCP: You’re either 100% on board with the pipeline or else you’re 100% anti-Alberta. So she’ll either get the pipeline she wants (at the expense of another province’s wishes) or it’s just more fuel on the flames of her knuckle dragging separatist base. The rest of us are just collateral damage, watching helplessly from the sidelines.
Another scheme to transfer royalties to the province back into the pockets of the .01%…..distract and divide so the rich can hide…..
Why don’t they use some of that hoard of Tylenot money they’ve got stashed away, to help make ends meet at AHS? Or why don’t the big cheeses — maybe even Queen Dani herself — take those two days with no pay? The lower salaries of the workers who are being dragooned into this won’t make that much difference, but the top brass’s salaries will. You’ll notice it’s always the people who announce these new policies that separate others of lower rank from their money, who don’t volunteer to separate themselves from their own money and set an example.
Wow this photo looks like season 1 of ‘Brian is holding a fart’ mystery series.
Trump is no doubts the most requested circus in the world right now, but man are we ever a very promising second place. Go Daniella Go.
I have recently started following the work of Markham Hislop, under the auspices of “Energi Medi”.
He gives a good overview of the energy markets and future changes that will directly affect this province. There is ongoing change within China that is going to profoundly affect petroleum consumption. Additionally, there is a Chinese drive to push electrification of vehicles in Africa. This is in direct competition with the Gulf states and other OPEC producers.
Alberta loves TFWs……because it’s what the UCP handlers want…..wage suppression…….works for corporate……but is it really working for YOU????
What will the federal government think of Danielle Smith’s plan to ship oil to Asia, now that Russia is set to buy gasoline from China, South Korea, and Singapore? Wouldn’t this directly conflict with Canada’s foreign policy?
https://kyivindependent.com/russia-to-begin-importing-gasoline-from-asia-after-losing-nearly-40-of-refining-capacity-media-reports/
What would $25 million do for Alberta Healthcare?
It could pay for nurses who would spend their money within their communities buying groceries and other goods. This gives a small push to local economies.
It could pay for doctors in local emergency clinics.
It could pay for earlier delivery of tests, diagnosis, and surgeries thus reducing wait times.
All, or any of these things, are better for Alberta than promoting a pipeline that not one oil company is willing to support.
The distraction may work for many, but not for me! Keep your attention on the #CorruptCare scandal and the lack of timely reports from Judge Wyant and others.
There’s the issue of $49M outstanding to Sam Mraiche and MHCareMedical, that Dani might like us to forget.
Frankly, I think that the writing is on the wall now that Carrie Tait is back on the story for the G & M. It’s clear that our fired CEO was doing due diligence and we need a full public inquiry to get the facts.
#IbelieveAthana.
So Dixie Dani is up to her usual Trumpy jumping. I guess this is TLDR; time.
Claiming a pipeline that we would all pay for to move oil no one wants to buy, over the dead bodies of Native folk and BC’s refusals while stealing the wages of government employees while paying fools to educate their own children instead of just fixing the schools and paying teachers a reasonable wage as she guts healthcare and hands it over to her friends.
Is that about right?
Yes Dani, let’s Nationalise Canadian oil. After all, you want all of us to pay for it. When you invest in a company, you get to keep the profit shares. So let’s go, Canada. Where’s my cheque? Considering her endless whinging about transfer payments that oughta really smoke out her inner crybully and give her something to crybully, about.
I wonder if we could just pretend that the children in this province were pipelines.
On a sad note, a premature baby has died as a result of measles. The one sentence that we can guarantee that Lagrange will not say about this is that it was one hundred percent avoidable.
I know there’s only so much room per column but I actually missed this “pIpElInE” announcement because I was so gobsmacked by the “hyper loop” announcement.
Apparently even though we can’t have a real train because the grade literally belongs to the rail companies (and has since before alberta existed, again learn your history UCP staffers) we are going to build a hyper loop with im guessing a MAGLEV train instead. Oh and they’re going to build it in three years, once the test track is completed, for 20 BILLION DOLLARS, of which I’m sure there would be SIGNIFICANT overruns.
Monorail anyone ? I heard Lyle Langley already built a successful hyperloop in north haverbrook, alberta should be next !
How long, one wonders, will it take to recoup 20 billion dollars from the population of Edmonton and Calgary (who want to travel by train, rather than the plethora of options now ?) rich people charter flights so….
I’m sure it all work just fine and has nothing to do with a snap election our esteemed blogger has been calling for October since early spring.
Whatever happens it’s going to be ugly.
And just in time, the Saudis and Russia announce increases in extraction of oil for their markets, thus making pricing much more elastic – i.e., lower. At under $50 already, WCS could be in more trouble for those American and Canadian shareholders who expect their dividends! Alberta gave up on our dividends a loooonnng time ago!
This is just a distraction. She knows industry won’t fund it because it will just become a stranded asset. Eventually just more fodder for her war on the Feds. Meanwhile they dismantle or ignore everything Albertans really need.
Her pipeline threat — “we’re just going to see if Canada works” — is nothing but thinly-veiled extortion. But instead of threatening to TP the Prime Minister’s house, as suggested by Theo Moudakis in the Star just the other day, she’s threatening to break up the country. Over one stinkin’ pipeline. The nuttery gets more and more cray-cray every day.
https://www.thestar.com/opinion/editorial-cartoons/theo-moudakis-halloween/article_1d167b7b-19b9-4bd3-827a-96e0ae29aeef.html?utm_medium=social&utm_source=copy-link&utm_campaign=user-share