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Edmonton Journal
24-05-2025
- Business
- Edmonton Journal
'It surprises us': European ambassadors question Canada's internal trade barriers
Canada's export and internal trade limitations have gained renewed focus with U.S. President Donald Trump's trade war German ambassador to Canada Matthius Luttenberg poses at the University of Calgary's downtown campus at a forum discussing the upcoming G7 summit in Kananaskis. Bill Kaufmann/Postmedia European ambassadors discussing the upcoming G7 summit in Kananaskis on Friday took issue with Canada's interprovincial trade barriers and its shortcomings in export infrastructure. In a panel discussion in downtown Calgary, Germany's ambassador to Canada and his European Union counterpart noted the free flow of trade between their countries and said it contrasted with internal roadblocks in Canada. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Exclusive articles by David Staples, Keith Gerein and others, Oilers news from Cult of Hockey, Ask EJ Anything features, the Noon News Roundup and Under the Dome newsletters. Unlimited online access to Edmonton Journal and 15 news sites with one account. Edmonton Journal ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles, including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Exclusive articles by David Staples, Keith Gerein and others, Oilers news from Cult of Hockey, Ask EJ Anything features, the Noon News Roundup and Under the Dome newsletters. Unlimited online access to Edmonton Journal and 15 news sites with one account. Edmonton Journal ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles, including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors 'It surprises us you have all these interprovincial barriers,' Matthius Luttenberg, Germany's ambassador to Canada told the forum organized by the University of Calgary's School of Public Policy and the Canada West Foundation. 'Canada needs to have an interprovincial discussion.' Luttenberg said for the past five decades, Europe has been moving closer in their trade relations, even adopting a common currency. 'In Canada it seems sometimes these borders seem much higher than they need to be and of course it's not up to me to give good advice about how to deal with them,' he said. 'I understand the reasons these barriers are there but I wish the prime minister (Carney) and his government the best of luck to overcome these barriers because I see there are a lot of transactional costs which are still there and maybe (eased internal trade) would even enable the export from Alberta to the Atlantic in a much easier and faster way.' Get the latest headlines, breaking news and columns. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. He also said Canada needs more infrastructure to export energy, including liquid natural gas, hydrogen and renewables to Europe. The EU's ambassador to Canada agreed. 'Alberta is a rich province, you have everything here, what's missing is pipelines,' said Genevieve Tuts. 'We need to diversify to reduce our dependence on Russian natural gas.' Read More Canada's export and internal trade limitations have gained renewed focus with U.S. President Donald Trump's trade war and his talk of annexing Canada. Later, in an interview, Luttenberg noted the European Commission's pledge made earlier this month to phase out its imports of Russian natural gas over the next two years. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. 'Our need in LNG is still there. Of course we are getting a lot of LNG from other places right now but we are very open to having discussions with Canada about the export of LNG, but also about green and other colours of hydrogen,' he said. During the panel talk, the desire of Alberta to open a pipeline corridor to the Manitoba port of Churchill on Hudson Bay was raised but Luttenberg said that port is open for only four or five months a year. But there are other options for exporting, he said, adding the Canadian and German governments are jointly subsidizing the export of hydrogen to Europe. 'This concerns more the Atlantic provinces with wind power but I think there's also a huge opportunity for Alberta,' said Luttenberg. The European ambassadors were frank in discussing Canada's internal trade and infrastructure challenges, said Martha Hall Findlay, director of the James S. Barbara A. Palmer Chair at the School of Public Policy. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. 'They were very blunt about the challenges in this country about actually getting this energy to markets,' she said noting LNG exports have been coming on stream on the west coast. 'But these are Europeans so that (infrastructure) is not necessarily there, so it was a reminder, frankly, from potential customers of what we have in abundance here in Canada, that it would be really helpful if Canada got its act together. They didn't mince their words.' Earlier this month, newly elected Prime Minister Mark Carney vowed to dismantle interprovincial trade barriers by July 1, but experts say several of those barriers are provincial jurisdiction and would not be easy to remove. The Liberal government has also expressed a desire to streamline the process in approving critical infrastructure projects to hasten their development. In Calgary on Friday, Federal Energy Minister Tim Hodgson promised to fast-track infrastructure development. Findlay said the appointment of Hodgson, who has an energy industry background, is cautiously encouraging for those who want energy projects moved forward. 'He's a great guy to have in that role, the bigger question is, will the whole of government take the same approach,' she said. Bkaufmann@ X: @BillKaufmannjrn Cult of Hockey Sports Local News Cult of Hockey Letters
Calgary Herald
23-05-2025
- Business
- Calgary Herald
'It surprises us': European ambassadors question Canada's internal trade barriers
European ambassadors discussing the upcoming G7 summit in Kananaskis on Friday took issue with Canada's interprovincial trade barriers and its shortcomings in export infrastructure. Article content Article content In a panel discussion in downtown Calgary, Germany's ambassador to Canada and his European Union counterpart noted the free flow of trade between their countries and said it contrasted with internal roadblocks in Canada. Article content Article content 'It surprises us you have all these interprovincial barriers,' Matthius Luttenberg, Germany's ambassador to Canada told the forum organized by the University of Calgary's School of Public Policy and the Canada West Foundation. Article content Article content 'In Canada it seems sometimes these borders seem much higher than they need to be and of course it's not up to me to give good advice about how to deal with them,' he said. Article content 'I understand the reasons these barriers are there but I wish the prime minister (Carney) and his government the best of luck to overcome these barriers because I see there are a lot of transactional costs which are still there and maybe (eased internal trade) would even enable the export from Alberta to the Atlantic in a much easier and faster way.' Article content Article content Article content 'Alberta is a rich province, you have everything here, what's missing is pipelines,' said Genevieve Tuts. Article content 'We need to diversify to reduce our dependence on Russian natural gas.' Article content Canada's export and internal trade limitations have gained renewed focus with U.S. President Donald Trump's trade war and his talk of annexing Canada.
