Alberta
$5.3 million worth of cocaine seized at Coutts. 25 year old Calgary man arrested
News release from the Integrated Border Enforcement Team (IBET)
Integrated Border Enforcement Team lays charges for drug importation
Coutts, Alta. – The Integrated Border Enforcement Team (IBET), a joint force operation between the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) and Calgary Police Service (CPS), has charged a man for importing cocaine into Canada.
On Nov. 21, 2022, CBSA officers discovered and seized 53 kg of cocaine following a secondary examination of a commercial transport vehicle at the Coutts border crossing. The drugs, which has a street value of approximately $5.3 million, were hidden within a shipment of produce and have been referred over to IBET for further investigation.
On Nov. 22, 2022, Jagroop Singh, 25, a resident of Calgary, was charged with the following offences:
- Importation of a Controlled Substance contrary to section 6(1) of the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act; and,
- Possession of a Controlled Substance for the Purpose of Trafficking contrary to section 5(2) of theControlled Drugs and Substances Act.
Singh is scheduled to appear in Lethbridge Provincial Court on Nov. 29, 2022.
“I cannot overstate the contributions of each law enforcement partner represented in IBET. Together, we successfully prevented harmful drugs from entering Canada and harming our communities.”
– Supt. Sean Boser, OIC of Federal Policing – Calgary
“The safety and security of Canadians is our government’s top priority. By stopping illegal drugs at the border, we’re keeping our communities safe. This seizure is another great example of the ongoing cooperation between the CBSA, the RCMP and the Calgary Police Service in securing our borders.”
– Brad Wozny, Regional Director General, Canada Border Services Agency
“Anytime a significant seizure like this is taken off our streets is a win for the communities we all work in partnership to protect.”
– Acting Supt. Melanie Oncescu, CPS Criminal Operations and Intelligence
IBET’s mandate is to enhance border integrity and security along the shared border, between designated ports of entry, by identifying, investigating and interdicting persons, organizations and goods that are involved in criminal activities.
From the Fraser Institute
By any measure, Alberta is an energy powerhouse—within Canada, but also on a global scale. In 2023, it produced 85 per cent of Canada’s oil and three-fifths of the country’s natural gas. Most of Canada’s oil reserves are in Alberta, along with a majority of natural gas reserves. Alberta is the beating heart of the Canadian energy economy. And energy, in turn, accounts for one-quarter of Canada’s international exports.
Consider some key facts about the province’s energy landscape, as noted in the Alberta Energy Regulator’s (AER) 2023 annual report. Oil and natural gas production continued to rise (on a volume basis) in 2023, on the heels of steady increases over the preceding half decade. However, the dollar value of Alberta’s oil and gas production fell in 2023, as the surging prices recorded in 2022 following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine retreated. Capital spending in the province’s energy sector reached $30 billion in 2023, making it the leading driver of private-sector investment. And completion of the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion project has opened new offshore export avenues for Canada’s oil industry and should boost Alberta’s energy production and exports going forward.
In a world striving to address climate change, Alberta’s hydrocarbon-heavy energy sector faces challenges. At some point, the world may start to consume less oil and, later, less natural gas (in absolute terms). But such “peak” consumption hasn’t arrived yet, nor does it appear imminent. While the demand for certain refined petroleum products is trending down in some advanced economies, particularly in Europe, we should take a broader global perspective when assessing energy demand and supply trends.
Looking at the worldwide picture, Goldman Sachs’ 2024 global energy forecast predicts that “oil usage will increase through 2034” thanks to strong demand in emerging markets and growing production of petrochemicals that depend on oil as the principal feedstock. Global demand for natural gas (including LNG) will also continue to increase, particularly since natural gas is the least carbon-intensive fossil fuel and more of it is being traded in the form of liquefied natural gas (LNG).
Against this backdrop, there are reasons to be optimistic about the prospects for Alberta’s energy sector, particularly if the federal government dials back some of the economically destructive energy and climate policies adopted by the last government. According to the AER’s “base case” forecast, overall energy output will expand over the next 10 years. Oilsands output is projected to grow modestly; natural gas production will also rise, in part due to greater demand for Alberta’s upstream gas from LNG operators in British Columbia.
The AER’s forecast also points to a positive trajectory for capital spending across the province’s energy sector. The agency sees annual investment rising from almost $30 billion to $40 billion by 2033. Most of this takes place in the oil and gas industry, but “emerging” energy resources and projects aimed at climate mitigation are expected to represent a bigger slice of energy-related capital spending going forward.
Like many other oil and gas producing jurisdictions, Alberta must navigate the bumpy journey to a lower-carbon future. But the world is set to remain dependent on fossil fuels for decades to come. This suggests the energy sector will continue to underpin not only the Alberta economy but also Canada’s export portfolio for the foreseeable future.
Jock Finlayson
Senior Fellow, Fraser Institute
Undoubtedly some of the motorists driving past The Whistle Stop Cafe at Mirror on Tuesday morning thought it was an April Fools prank. It wasn’t.
Chris Scott, owner of the gas station at The Whistle Stop Cafe offered a one day promotion on April 1st. Scott sold 8000 litres of regular gasoline for $0.80/ litre.
The promotion was funded by Scott and the Alberta Prosperity Project. In this video posted to his social media, Chris Scott explains why they did it.
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