National energy strategy a big priority for Alberta’s premier
Posted Apr 25, 2012 7:25 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Just hours after receiving a new four-year mandate from voters, Alison Redford rolled up her sleeves and got down to business.
Alberta’s premier not only stated there would be another sitting of the legislature before summer, but renewed her commitment to work on a national energy strategy.
Redford says it’s imperative Alberta in conjunction with the federal government and other provinces develop a strategy that will help grow and promote the energy business which is beneficial to the entire country.
The province’s first elected female premier has already made a commitment not to raise oil and gas royalty rates and says industry will be consulted before any policy or regulatory changes are made.
Redford has already pledged to pump $3-billion dollars into an energy research fund over the next 20 years.
Meanwhile, the chairman of U.S. energy consultancy IHS CERA says Alberta needs to do a better job selling the oilsands.
While speaking at a Calgary conference, Daniel Yergin said much more needs to be done to explain what the oilsands are, what role they play in meeting global energy demand and the true story about their environmental impact.
Later this summer the province will be sending a delegation to a UN sustainable development conference in Rio.
