Calgary MP accuses premier of ‘baseless,’ ‘ludicrous’ statements on electricity

The fuse is lit for fireworks in Ottawa after a Liberal member of Parliament accused Alberta Premier Danielle Smith of making false claims days before Smith is slated to appear before a federal environmental committee.

Calgary MP George Chahal said Wednesday that Smith is spreading misinformation about the federal Liberal government’s plans to bring Canada’s electricity grid to net-zero.

“Over the past several months, the premier has actively worked to undermine and misinform Albertans,” Chahal said in a press conference.

He pointed to Smith’s claim that her decision to suspend new approvals for renewable power in the province was done at the request of rural counties, but Rural Municipalities Alberta has said it made no such request.

Chahal added that Smith’s United Conservative Party government is keeping secret its own report on the costs of decarbonizing the electrical grid.

He called an $8-million ad campaign to sway Ontario voters against the federal proposal a partisan, ideologically motivated misinformation campaign.

“She is playing on peoples’ fears by talking about blackouts,” Chahal said.

He also called Smith’s claims that utilities executives will face jail time if they don’t meet federal emissions targets “ludicrous”.

Chahal said the ad campaign and the renewables moratorium must end.

Smith’s office did not immediately respond to Chahal’s statements.

She may have her chance next week.

In a letter, Smith has volunteered to appear Tuesday before the House of Commons environment and sustainability committee. Although the committee had invited the province’s energy and affordability ministers, Smith said she would make Alberta’s case herself.

“Given the significance of these issues, I will appear,” the letter says.

The letter goes on to accuse Ottawa of spreading misinformation.

“The federal government has provided inconsistent and often misleading information about the flawed federal electricity regulations,” she wrote.

The letter repeats her warnings about the impact of those regulations.

“The regulations will result in massive power bill increases for families and businesses and will make Alberta’s grid unreliable.”

Chahal said that since the UCP took power in Alberta, electricity rates have increased fivefold.

Independent experts in Alberta have said the federal proposals need tweaking, but called Smith’s response to them “grandstanding.”

CityNews reached out to the premier’s office for comment on the situation and was provided a statement from Minister of Environment and Protected Areas Rebecca Schulz.

“It sounds like MP George Chahal has been spending too much time in Ottawa listening to his ideological, out of touch Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault,”
she said, in part. “Albertans and Canadians are very concerned about the impact the 2035 Clean Electricity Regulations will have on reliable and affordable electricity.”

Schulz continued by calling the federal government plans “destructive” and “unconstitutional” with an “unachievable timeline.”

“Canada and Alberta are united in our pursuit of carbon neutrality by 2050; however, we disagree with Ottawa’s 2035 timeline that will increase the price of electricity and reduce reliability to Canadian homes and businesses,” she said. “That’s why the Premier will be travelling to Ottawa next week to share this message when she testifies to the Parliamentary Committee on Environment and Sustainable Development.”

-With files from Lauryn Heintz

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 11, 2023.