Oil-rich Alberta rejects Trudeau and his environmental policies at the polls

/ Policy & Regulations / Monday, 22 April 2019 09:02

 

Canada’s conservative party delivered a telling blow to Justin Trudeau’s hopes of reelection following the provincial elections in oil-rich Alberta.

 

Political analysts claim the convincing electoral victory for the opposition party in Alberta was a clear rejection of Trudeau’s progressive environmental policies just six months ahead of national polls.

 

The United Conservative Party won a large majority, and whilst political commentators had a predicted a victory for the opposition, the margin of victory has certainly raised eyebrows.

 

Jason Kenny will now become Alberta’s Premier and unseats the leftist New Democrats politician Rachel Notley from the position.

 

It’s in stark contrast to 2015 when Trudeau swept to power with most of Canada’s provinces being led by fellow Liberals, now he faces the grim prospect of a phalanx of conservative premiers lining up against him.

 

Trudeau said he looked forward to working closely with the new Alberta premier but noted that it was critical that in order to plan for the economy you had to formulate a plan for the environment.

 

The Canadian Prime Minister said, “I look forward to working with whoever wins the (Alberta) election. It is impossible in the 21st century to have a plan for the economy without having a plan for the environment."

 

Kenny has been very vocal in his criticism of Trudeau and campaigned on overturning a new federal carbon tax which was imposed under Notley in exchange for Trudeau's support on the controversial expansion of a Pacific coast pipeline, bought last year by the federal government.

 

That pipeline project however was stalled by a number of court challenges and lawsuits, and Kenney has relentlessly blasted the prime minister for not reversing an oil slump that has cost thousands of Alberta jobs.

 

The province sits on the world's third-largest oil reserves in the world, after Venezuela and Saudi Arabia, but the industry was devastated when crude prices tanked in 2014. Four other Tory-led provinces -- Ontario, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and New Brunswick -- are fighting the carbon tax, which took effect on April 1, in court.

 

 

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