Who in Alberta could forget Marc Lalonde, Pat Carney or even Jean Chretien himself? They all have one thing in common — they were all ‘energy’ ministers under previous Conservative and Liberal governments..In a subtle, but potentially significant policy shift, Canada will have its first formal ‘energy’ minister in almost a quarter century..That because Jonathan Wilkinson, who retained his position at Natural Resources, was also tapped to take on a formally reconstituted energy role in Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s reshuffled cabinet on Wednesday..Canada hasn’t had a designated ‘energy’ portfolio since Anne McLellan was Minister of Energy, Mines and Resources in 1995 under former prime minister Chretien, who himself was energy minister from 1982-84..Although he was tasked with implementing the dreaded National Energy Program, Chretien also laid the foundation for massive expansion of the oil sands in Fort McMurray..And it was Chretien in 1995 who eliminated the energy portfolio altogether and simply replaced it with Natural Resources Canada, a position that has been maintained through every prime minister since, including Paul Martin and Stephen Harper..The various responsibilities for energy have been split among multiple portfolios under the banners of ‘mines,’ ’resources’ or even ‘environment — depending on the political bent of the government in charge — ever since..It’s not exactly clear why Trudeau would want to split Natural Resources now, given that Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault was noticeably absent from Wednesday’s swearing in ceremonies — because he kept his job — and was jetting off to the G20 environment ministers meeting in India..It’s either meant to be some kind of ‘good-cop, bad cop’ routine or alternatively a gang tackle..Guilbeault as we all know, has become the prime minister’s fixer on environment, roundly pissing off Alberta’s UCP ministers and captains of industry in Calgary last week. .But apart from his radical, rhetorical ramblings aimed at scaring oil industry tycoons while placating the Birkenstock crowd, Monsieur Guilbeault has no real power in Trudeau’s government other than to jet off to international conferences and hob knob with the likes of Greta Thurnberg and Leonardo DiCaprio..Last May he was given responsibility over pesticide use on Parliament Hill, making him Lord of the Flies..No, it’s Wilkinson who quietly executes government environment policy here at home. He’s rarely in the news but barely a day goes by without some kind of funding announcement related to renewable energy, charging stations or emissions reduction technology. .And we’re talking about all things big or small — major to mundane — in all parts of the country. From water coolers at community halls to major retrofits of pulp mills and power plants to an indigenous led solar project in Drumheller..It’s hard to add up, but his ministry has handed out cheques totalling tens of billions in the last six months alone. .Where Guilbeault is Trudeau’s attack dog, Wilkinson is his ice cream man, the man charged with handing out $80 billion in goodies in response to Joe Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act..Earlier this week it was Guilbeault who was boasting that Canada was spending more per capita than even the US to fight climate change. Notwithstanding the only cheque he’s written was a $450 million contribution to the UN climate change fund..No, it’s Wilkinson who pulls the strings on industrial and environmental policy not Mr. Orange Crush..It remains to be seen what it means for Alberta, but it seems reasonable to assume that energy issues will come into tighter focus over the balance of the Liberal government’s time in office heading into an expected election next year. Not just issues surrounding oil and gas, but also LNG and decarbonizing the power grid..That could be either good or bad..On the bright side, Wilkinson, a Rhodes scholar, is a lot smarter than Guilbeault. And a lot more pragmatic. He’s more of a ‘Classic Liberal’ in the style of Paul Martin than former Greenpeace whack pack member Guilbeault. .Wilkinson also happens to represent a North Vancouver — read, moneyed — constituency so he should be more up to speed on issues surrounding LNG with a better grasp of the economic benefits and costs..The bad news? He represents a tony North Vancouver riding with the highest concentration of woke coffee shops, health food stores — and pot shops — in the country, and indeed the world..It’s almost as if Trudeau is sending a message: Put that in your pipe and smoke it.
