Stelmach misses Ottawa meeting to sell oilsands to Europe
Last Updated: Monday, November 10, 2008 | 1:11 PM MT
CBC News
Alberta Premier Ed Stelmach speaks at a Canada-United Kingdom Chamber of Commerce luncheon in London Monday. (CBC)Missing an economic meeting with Prime Minister Stephen Harper and his provincial counterparts, Alberta Premier Ed Stelmach was in London on Monday to sell his province's oilsands to investors.
After a business luncheon speech, Stelmach told CBC News in London that Alberta is "close to reaching an agreement" with the federal government on cutting greenhouse gas emissions.
"We've shown the leadership in Canada, because we're the first to legislate and first to actually show real reductions," he said.
"But we want to do this in partnership with the federal government and our provincial counterparts, and then take what we've accomplished and work in agreement with president-elect [Barack] Obama so that we can show real reductions on the North American continent.
Stelmach's 10-day trade mission in Europe had been planned for months before the meeting in Ottawa was called to discuss Canada's economy. Alberta Education Minister Dave Hancock is representing the province at the federal meeting.
'I believe Alberta's oilsands are the key to energy security for North America — likely to be a major goal of the new U.S. administration.'—Alberta Premier Ed Stelmach
Stelmach told the Canada-United Kingdom Chamber of Commerce Monday that Alberta is the only non-OPEC producer with the ability to increase oil production over the short term, while implementing strict environmental controls.
"We're committed to doing this right. I believe Alberta's oilsands are the key to energy security for North America — likely to be a major goal of the new U.S. administration," said the premier.
"And I submit to you and anybody in this room, [Obama] won't be able to deliver on the promises of good economic growth, food on the table without affordable energy."
Stelmach also told CBC News that Harper's idea of a bilateral agreement on climate change with the new U.S. administration is an "excellent idea."
Foreign Affairs Minister Lawrence Cannon said Wednesday that cutting greenhouse gases is a priority issue for the Canadian government, and will be communicated as such to the incoming U.S. administration.
The premier said last week that any Canada-U.S. negotiations to reduce emissions would have to include Alberta, because of the impact on major energy projects in the province.
