Liberal ministers held a press conference Tuesday to promote the memorandum of understanding (MOU) between Ottawa and Alberta on energy cooperation, while signaling they will vote against a Conservative motion related to pipeline development.Energy Minister Tim Hodgson said the agreement is intended to position Canada competitively in what he described as a global trade environment. He argued Canada must leverage its natural resources and develop them in partnership with Indigenous communities.According to Hodgson, the MOU outlines collaboration on expanding western electricity interties, adding nuclear power to the regional grid, and pursuing what he called the world’s largest carbon capture and storage initiative. .He said the motion before Parliament is, in his view, political in nature and will not receive Liberal support.Indigenous Services Minister Mandy Gull-Masty said the Conservative motion was disrespectful and called it a waste of parliamentary time. She said consultations are only a starting point and argued that meaningful equity participation and capacity-building for indigenous communities must be part of future energy development. They stated they would not support the motion..Climate Change Minister Julie Dabrusin criticized the motion as incomplete, arguing it omits key components contained in the MOU, including industrial carbon pricing, methane regulations, and interprovincial cooperation.She said the motion ignores climate commitments and suggested it signals a lack of respect for neighbouring provincial jurisdictions and Indigenous rights holders.She stated that the Conservative approach prioritizes pipelines while failing to address climate action, and that the government intends to continue pursuing emissions reductions collaboratively..When asked about industry projections suggesting oil sands emissions could grow under a “grand bargain” scenario involving new pipeline capacity, Dabrusin referenced sections of the MOU dealing with strengthened carbon pricing and methane regulations.She said further discussion with Alberta is required and emphasized collaboration across provinces to reach climate targets.Reporters also raised concerns about business certainty. Hodgson responded that investment depends on regulatory clarity around carbon pricing, methane rules, and clean energy standards. He stated the MOU could attract large-scale capital for production and carbon sequestration..Questions were posed about whether rejecting the Conservative motion signals wavering support for a pipeline to the B.C. coast. Dabrusin said such a project would require agreement from British Columbia and Indigenous nations, and noted that such conditions were not reflected in the motion being debated. She maintained that the government’s position is to develop resources collaboratively and with climate goals in mind.Speakers concluded by stating that a vote against the motion does not constitute opposition to the MOU itself, but is instead a rejection of what they described as political posturing.
