Eight Key Players in Alberta's Oil Industry

When Nothing is Certain Anything is Possible

Since the USA election results for Donald Trump, decisions to be made are major and the resolve of these key players is vital to the Canadian Economy and the Environment.

OPEC

In an effort to prop up prices since 2014 OPEC has confirmed it has secured a cut in its oil production from 33.8 million barrels a day to 32.5 million. The OPEC deal triggered frenzied trading with U.S. light crude oil up $1.30 a barrel at $50.74. Today, West Texas Intermediate, WTI was also up over 8 percent and trading at approximately $48.97 a barrel.

USA Ambassador - Gary Doer

In addition to many events held behind closed doors lately, regarding the new U.S. administration and will mean for Alberta and Canada, Gary Doer, the former Canadian ambassador to the U.S. said to the Calgary Chamber of Commerce that no one should discount the strength of underlying, long-established relationships between the countries already in place, which arguably supersede a change in leadership in Washington.

Natural Resources Minister - Jim Carr

The minister has recently said that the goal for Canada is to expand its export markets meaning that it is imperative that Canada's oil production capture the world price. The only way to do that is to gain access to markets off the country's west and east coasts. "(Keystone XL) doesn’t get oil to export markets in Asia."

Prime Minister - Justin Trudeau

The Prime Minister gave approval to the expansion of the Trans Mountain pipeline to Burnaby, as well as the replacement and expansion of Enbridge's Line 3 into the United States. He also announced that Ottawa was rejecting Enbridge's proposed Northern Gateway line to Kitimat.

Although the decision is still "bitterly disputed" as expected by a number of people across the country he believes the project is in Canada's best interests. "If I thought this project was unsafe for the B.C. coast, I would reject it." he said.

Alberta Premier - Rachel Notley

Last week Rachel Notley, during her visit to British Columbia said she will undertake to sell the merits of the new oil pipeline and Alberta's environmental credibility. Keeping the environment on the main burner, Notley said, "There is a need to move forward on environmental progress, while at the same time being respectful of the needs of all Canadians to maintain prosperity and economic security."

B.C. Premier - Christy Clark

The provinces Liberal government has laid out five conditions for its approval of any new heavy oil pipeline. These include regulatory approval, world-leading oil spill response capabilities both on land and at sea, indigenous participation and B.C. receiving its "fair share" of the jobs and real economic benefits from the project. She cited Trudeau's recently announced ocean protection plan as a key example.

Calgary Mayor - Naheed Nenshi

Calgary's Mayor said last week speaking in Vancouver to the Canadian Club that, the national imperative of expanding the Kinder Morgan pipeline from Alberta to the West Coast should not be hijacked by parochial opposition from Metro Vancouver residents.

Nenshi worries decisions about the future of Canada’s energy sector will be influenced by regional political concerns. He stated, "I don’t think anybody has the veto or anybody has the trump. I would argue that in this case, science should have the trump."

Protesters – Too Many to Count

As Trudeau announced the pipeline decisions he also declared the government's intention to phase out coal-powered electricity in Canada by 2030, all while expanding clean power sources.

B.C. groups say the war over Kinder Morgan pipeline is On! Despite the government’s approval of the line, opponents say they will continue to fight. Already hundreds of protesters turned up for the rally.

Greenpeace Canada in a statement and a rallying cry called out, "Whether through the courts, in the streets, or on the land, this pipeline will never make it in the ground."

Chief Terry Teegee with the Carrier Sekani Tribal Council says, "It still puts the Fraser River at risk…so I think that’s the next battle for the many First Nations that live along the Fraser River."

Green Party Leader Elizabeth May says she is personally prepared to go to jail to stop Kinder Morgan. "And I think I’m not the only one," she said. "I think I’ll be sharing a cell with…First Nations leaders."