From the Fraser Institute

By Kenneth P. Green

Justin Trudeau’s imminent exit from office may mark the beginning of the end of a 10-year war on Canada’s energy sector, and by extension, Canada’s economy.

Canada is the world’s fourth-largest oil producer, currently supplying 6 per cent of global production. Canada is the fifth-largest producer of natural gas, supplying 5 per cent of global demand. The energy sector (oil, gas, electricity) constitutes more than 10 per cent of Canada’s total gross domestic product (GDP). In 2023, the latest year of available data, the energy sector provided, directly and indirectly, almost 700,000 jobs or 3.5 per cent of all jobs in Canada. And Canadian energy exports totalling $200 billion comprised 28 per cent of all Canadian exported goods.

But however vast and vital Canada’s energy sector is our wellbeing, Prime Minister Trudeau worked tirelessly to restrain, restrict, diminish and ultimately “phase out” Canada’s fossil fuel industries. Here are some of the highlights of his war on Canada’s energy sector.

In 2017, Trudeau introduced Bill C-48, which restricts oil tankers off Canada’s west coast and limits the ability of Canada’s oilsands sector to export product to new markets, keeping Canada’s energy resources trapped in a discount-price U.S. market. Also in 2017, much to the fury of many Albertans, Trudeau announced his intention to phase out oilsands production, the foundation of Alberta’s prosperity.

In 2018, Trudeau introduced Bill C-69, which tightened Canada’s environmental assessment process for major infrastructure projects and made the process of obtaining government permission for major energy projects more costly, time-consuming and arbitrary, thus increasing uncertainty across the energy sector. And he introduced the carbon tax despite strenuous opposition by Canada’s energy sector and energy-producing provinces.

In 2020, Trudeau launched his broadest and most intense regulatory crusade against Canada’s energy sector, introducing Bill C-12, which committed Canada to reach “net-zero” emissions of greenhouse gasses by 2050. Net-zero means Canada cannot emit more greenhouse gases via energy production and consumption than is taken out of the air by natural processes and the ecosystem. This would require vastly reduced production and consumption of fossil fuels in Canada, with consequences for the energy sector’s productivity and employment potential moving toward 2050.

In 2023, Trudeau attacked fossil fuel use in the transportation sector by mandating that all new cars sales be electric vehicles by 2035. And he released draft “clean electricity regulations” to phase out the use of fossil fuels in electricity generation by the year 2050.

During his time as prime minister, Trudeau attacked Canada’s energy sector, with eliminationist language and onerous regulations meant to essentially phaseout a major supplier of economic productivity and employment in Canada, to the great detriment of Canadians.

Hopefully, the next prime minister will reject Trudeau’s anti-energy agenda and have the will and ability to rescind the many damaging laws and regulations that that the Trudeau government has inflicted on a vital sector of the Canadian economy.

Kenneth P. Green

Senior Fellow, Fraser Institute

From the Daily Caller News Foundation

By Harold Hutchison

Conservative Party leader Pierre Poilievre left CP24 news host Phil Perkins at a loss for words when asked about an executive order by President Donald Trump recognizing two biological sexes.

Trump signed the executive order Monday, shortly after taking office, ending recognition of “gender identity” and prohibiting the use of “gender ideology.” Perkins asked Poilievre about the order during an interview.

“First day on the job, President Trump signed an executive order, you know, the U.S. government only recognizing two genders, male, female. They’re unchangeable,” Perkins said. “You know, if elected as prime minister, is that something that you’re going to kind of walk in line with? Or what are your feelings on that executive order?”

WATCH:

“Well, I don’t know. Do you have any other genders that you’d like to name?” Poilievre responded, with Perkins asking, “Me personally?”

Trump’s campaign ran ads featuring Vice President Kamala Harris discussing how she pushed “behind the scenes” for transgender prisoners to receive sex changes while serving as California’s attorney general, while Trump said he supported banning biological men from competing in women’s sports during an Oct. 16 town hall moderated by Fox News host Harris Faulkner.

“I’m just asking more so if you’re in line with what he is saying. Do you agree with what he’s saying? Is that something that you would be lockstep with if elected as prime minister?” Perkins asked.

“Well, I — I’m not aware of any other genders than men and women. I mean, if you have any other that you want me to consider, you’re welcome to tell me right now,” Poilievre responded.

Trump’s order directed federal agencies to protect women’s privacy in “intimate spaces” and to use the term “sex” instead of “gender.”

Poilievre is the favorite to become Canada’s next prime minister after Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced he was stepping down as leader of Canada’s Liberal Party. The Liberal Party will elect a new leader March 9.

“[People] say they’re gender neutral. There — you know, they’re — they’re a trans person. Is that something that you would recognize here? Whereas in the states, at least with their U.S. government, the way they’re seeing it, there’s only two?” Perkins asked.

“I’m only aware of two, but, I mean, if you have — if you come up with another list, then you’re welcome to do that. But I’m aware of two,” Poilievre responded. “And as far as I’m concerned, we should have a government that just minds its own damn business and leaves people alone.”