Carney says he's open to changing green laws to boost energy projects
(Bloomberg) — Prime Minister Mark Carney said he'll consider altering environmental regulations passed by his predecessor, Justin Trudeau, in order to facilitate investment in major projects in Canada, including oil and gas pipelines.
Article content
Article content
'We will change things at the federal level that need to be changed in order for projects to move forward,' Carney told CTV News in an interview that aired Tuesday, shortly after his new cabinet was sworn into office.
Article content
Article content
Asked if those changes might apply to C-69 — legislation that created new rules for environmental assessments — or to a proposed cap on oil and gas industry emissions, he replied: 'Absolutely it could include both. But I'm not going to do it conceptually. I'm going to do it on specifics, do it for moving forward.'
Article content
Article content
The two laws have been regularly cited by Pierre Poilievre, leader of the opposition Conservative Party, as impediments to major conventional energy developments. Before entering politics, Carney wrote and spoke at length about the importance of transitioning away from hydrocarbon-based energy to fight climate change.
Article content
His Liberal government faces a tense relationship with the premier of the oil-rich province of Alberta, where some are even agitating to secede from Canada.
Former central banker won Canada's April 28 election, with his Liberal Party winning the most seats but falling just short of a House of Commons majority. The new energy minister is Tim Hodgson, a former director of Ontario electricity utility Hydro One Ltd. and Canadian oil producer MEG Energy Corp., and previously the CEO of Goldman Sachs Group Inc. in Canada.
Article content
Article content
Carney said his plan to make Canada a superpower 'in both clean and conventional energies' involves using domestic oil and gas production to displace imports — particularly from the US — as well as increasing exports. But it also means Canada should play a major role in nuclear and hydroelectricity, and possibly carbon capture and storage technology, he added.
Article content
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
National Post
33 minutes ago
- National Post
Michael Higgins: Garneau's moral compass always pointed true north
It is a measure of the man that in a world where values, virtue, and self-sacrifice seem anachronistic, Marc Garneau embodied them. Article content Following his death on Wednesday at age 76 after a brief illness, there was lavish praise and kind words for Garneau whose life was devoted to serving his country. Article content Article content As an astronaut, Garneau reached the stars, as a politician he served honourably and faithfully, despite his tawdry treatment at the hands of Justin Trudeau. Article content In a statement, Prime Minister Mark Carney said, 'To those who worked alongside him, Marc was a trusted colleague and friend. To Canadians, he was a symbol of national pride and possibility.' Article content Article content Mary Simon, the Governor General, said he left behind a legacy of integrity and professionalism. Article content Erin O'Toole, the former Conservative leader who also served as a captain in the air force, said of Garneau, who had been a commander and captain in the navy, that he represented the very best of Canada and had inspired countless people 'including me.' Article content Garneau began his service to Canada by serving in the navy before joining the Canadian Astronaut Program. In 1984, he made history when he became the first Canadian in space as a payload specialist on the Space Shuttle Challenger. He went on to make two other space missions aboard the Endeavour. Article content 'I have been around planet earth…about 450 times,' Garneau recounted at a Ted Talk in 2013. Article content He was president of the Canadian Space Agency from 2001 to 2005 and in 2008 was elected as a Liberal MP for Notre-Dame-de-Grâce–Westmount (formerly Westmount–Ville-Marie). Article content Article content In 2013, he ran for the Liberal leadership against Trudeau, and in a debate that year, pointedly asked the future prime minister, 'So please tell us what in your resume qualifies you to be the leader of the country.' Article content Article content 'I was never sure after that whether he held that against me,' Garneau told the CBC's Rosemary Barton last year. 'But on balance, I think he didn't because he appointed me transport minister when we were finally elected.' Article content Garneau became transport minister in 2015 with one of his first acts being to introduce a passenger bill of rights for fliers. From January to October of 2021, he was foreign minister until suddenly being dropped without explanation by Trudeau and replaced by the more sycophantic Mélanie Joly.
Global News
34 minutes ago
- Global News
Nova Scotia premier pitching ambitious ‘Wind West' offshore wind energy project
In response to Prime Minister Mark Carney's bid to make Canada an 'energy superpower,' Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston is floating the idea of dramatically ramping up the province's nascent offshore wind energy industry. In an online video released earlier this week, Houston says he's hoping Carney's Liberal government will supply the federal money needed for a new megaproject the premier has dubbed 'Wind West.' The Progressive Conservative premier says the province is 'on the edge of a clean energy breakthrough' and he plans to support construction of enough offshore wind turbines to supply 27 per cent of Canada's total demand for electricity. Get breaking National news For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen. Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy The video was released with little fanfare on Monday, a day before Canada's provincial and territorial leaders met with Carney in Saskatoon, where the premiers pitched their wish lists for major projects. Nova Scotia has no offshore wind turbines, but the province is in the process of licensing projects that could produce up to five gigawatts of electricity by 2030. Story continues below advertisement The premier's plan calls for private and government funding to pay for construction of enough turbines to generate 40 gigawatts of electricity — eight times greater than the current projects — as well as a cross-country electricity cable. Meanwhile, Houston's government has yet to release any details about how this plan would be rolled out, aside from what's in the video. 'Of course, there are questions,' Houston says. 'Big projects always raise questions. But we are committed to working with Nova Scotians to ensure this project will benefit everyone.' This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 5, 2025.
CBC
an hour ago
- CBC
Carney and Trump are holding direct talks to drop tariffs: sources
Prime Minister Mark Carney and U.S. President Donald Trump are having direct discussions to reach a trade deal and lift tariffs, according to sources with knowledge of their talks. The two leaders agreed even before Canadians went to the polls this spring that they would chart a new economic and security deal, but the Canada-U.S. relationship appeared to hit a snag earlier this week when Trump doubled tariffs on all steel and aluminum imports. The tariffs, now at 50 per cent, are a further blow to the Canadian industries that are the U.S.'s biggest supplier of the metals. In response, Carney only said "intensive discussions" were ongoing and that his government was readying reprisals if negotiations with the United States failed. Sources, who spoke to CBC News and Radio-Canada on the condition they not be named, now say the two have been talking on the phone about reaching a deal. WATCH | Canadian exports to U.S. are dropping: Canadian exports to U.S. fell more than 15% in April as Trump tariffs hit 25 minutes ago Duration 4:05 There have been no public readouts of the calls. Carney and Trump met publicly last month at the White House, but no direct communication between the leaders had been confirmed since then. Earlier this week, Radio-Canada reported that Ottawa is hoping to reach an agreement with the Trump administration before the G7 summit — just 10 days from now in Alberta. Earlier this week, Trump's envoy to Canada, Ambassador Pete Hoekstra, told a crowd in Toronto the deal "is being settled at the highest levels of the U.S. government with the involvement of the highest elected officials."
