It’s good to be back home.But Alberta Premier Danielle Smith and Environment Minister Rebecca Schulz are none-too-pleased with the federal government’s performance at the COP28 summit in Dubai and specifically the antics of Environment and Climate Change Minister Steven Guilbeault’s “incoherent and illegal policy pronouncements” at the United Nations conference climate last week..“Although he ultimately failed in his ambitions to include language in the final COP28 agreement… Albertans will not forget his continued treachery against our province and millions of other Canadians,”Premier Smith and Minister Schulz.The pair barely had time to catch a cab from the airport before calling for the Liberal cabinet minister’s outright dismissal for his “continued treachery against our province and millions of other Canadians.”“Although he ultimately failed in his ambitions to include language in the final COP28 agreement regarding the elimination of oil and gas production, Albertans will not forget his continued treachery against our province and millions of other Canadians,” they said in a joint statement. “We once again call on the prime minister to replace this minister immediately, as he continues to damage Canada’s international reputation and sell out the interests and livelihoods of millions of Canadians with his misguided personal obsessions.”.Meanwhile, Guilbeault was presumably somewhere over the ocean jetting back to Canada after taking a victory lap at the Dubai International Airport to gloat over his role in drafting an agreement that actually mentions the words “fossil fuels” for the very first time.But Smith and Schulz disputed his insistence that Canada had convinced anyone — and certainly not the world’s biggest polluters — that they should abate their own use of coal, oil or natural gas.“That extreme position was defeated at COP28 by a growing alliance of thoughtful world leaders that well understand we can indeed grow our economies, develop our natural resources and ensure energy and food security for the world while simultaneously reducing emissions through technology and multilateral cooperation.“.Guilbeault used the conference to impose emissions cap a on oil and gas and even methane from beef cattle — which they described as embarrassing — in addition to being illegal and unconstitutional.Almost every other day he posed for selfies with activists wearing ‘emissions’ ball caps or chiding Alberta and Saskatchewan for being awarded a satirical ‘fossil’ award.That was when he wasn’t making policy pronouncements on the fly, without taking the time or courtesy to consult with either Smith or Schulz who were never more than a table away on the convention floor. And if abating methane emissions from cattle wasn’t silly enough, it was the emissions cap that really crossed their red lines.“It was a national embarrassment to witness Minister Guilbeault at an international conference actively sabotaging the interests of Albertans and other Canadians by releasing a series of incoherent and illegal policy pronouncements that he and his government have absolutely no legal authority to impose upon the provinces of Canada,” they said.Alberta will continue to further develop and implement its own emissions reduction plans that promotes new technologies while keeping energy affordable and available for consumers.And despite all the insults and injury, they once again implored the federal government adopt a more reasonable and pragmatic approach.“This is the Alberta Way. We once again invite Ottawa to align with Alberta’s approach rather than continue to act in violation of the Constitution and stand in the way of real environmental and economic progress.”
