In an appearance before the upper house’s energy committee Thursday, Kenney said
Ottawa’s attempt to rewrite existing assessment legislation, do away
with the National Energy Board and bolster Indigenous participation in
the approvals process — among many other changes to the natural
resources regime — creates uncertainty for an industry that is
facing constrained pipeline capacity and cratering commodity prices.
Ottawa’s attempt to rewrite existing assessment legislation, do away
with the National Energy Board and bolster Indigenous participation in
the approvals process — among many other changes to the natural
resources regime — creates uncertainty for an industry that is
facing constrained pipeline capacity and cratering commodity prices.
“There
is a growing crisis of national unity in Alberta which would be
exacerbated by the adoption of this bill and other policies like it,”
Kenney said. “If this bill proceeds, it will be a message to the people
of Alberta that their federal government doesn’t care about a
devastating period of economic adversity in our province.”
Kenney said
he is prepared to launch a constitutional legal challenge against the
legislation if it is passed by the Senate as written, saying Ottawa is
unfairly intruding on an area of provincial jurisdiction.