Juno News - Alberta takes lead on new West Coast pipeline

00:00:00.000 This week, Alberta moved first on a First Nations-backed West Coast pipeline, committing funds and a technical advisory group to shepherd an application towards Ottawa, while promising Indigenous co-ownership from the start.

00:00:24.000 Alberta's teachers, meanwhile, voted overwhelmingly to strike next week after nearly 9 in 10 rejected the province's latest deal.

00:00:31.160 And in Calgary's mayoral race, Jeremy Farkas used a Reddit Ask Me Anything to float hate-tracking programs and pushed back on the province's use of the Notwithstanding Clause on Youth Gender Policy.

00:00:42.800 Alberta separatists touted a second round of Washington, D.C. meetings with senior figures in the Trump administration,

00:00:49.220 while Premier Danielle Smith reiterated that her goal is a strong, sovereign Alberta within Canada.

00:00:54.920 All that and more on this week's Alberta Roundup. I'm your host, Isaac Lamoureux, and let's jump right into that first story.

00:01:00.240 Alberta says it will take the lead in advancing a new West Coast oil pipeline proposal, at least through the early pre-application phase,

00:01:08.420 by funding a technical advisory group alongside Indigenous partners and three pipeline companies.

00:01:14.020 The province will act as a proponent until a formal application is approved, with the expectation that private investors will assume ownership and risk from there.

00:01:23.340 Premier Daniel Smith said the approach centres Indigenous co-ownership and leadership from the outset and targets a formal application to be submitted by spring 2026.

00:01:34.000 Smith said, quote,

00:01:34.920 This project application is about more than a pipeline. It's about unlocking Canada's full economic potential.

00:01:41.380 Together, we are charting a path to secure Canada's energy future for generations while bringing the world's most ethically and responsibly produced energy to market.

00:01:50.920 Despite Smith's enthusiasm, though, BC NDP Premier David Eby immediately rejected the idea, arguing that it would be subsidised by taxpayers even beyond Alberta.

00:02:00.360 He said, quote,

00:02:01.940 This proposal comes at the expense of the real private sector projects that are going to lift our economy and lift the national economy.

00:02:09.060 Alberta's Deputy Minister of Energy and Minerals, though, Larry Kallmeier, stressed that the province does not intend to own the pipeline.

00:02:15.160 He said, quote,

00:02:15.980 We are not in the process of having Alberta taxpayers on the hook for owning a pipeline.

00:02:20.240 The province is committing $14 million for early planning, which is route assessment, engineering, cost estimates, and Indigenous engagement,

00:02:28.180 with an application to be filed to the Federal Major Projects Office under Building Canada Act around spring 2026.

00:02:35.060 Officials said the province's involvement at this stage reflects federal and regulatory hurdles,

00:02:39.840 like the tanker ban that have stymied past projects such as Energy East, Northern Gateway, and Keystone XL.

00:02:45.500 Smith argued that had those projects preceded, Canada's GDP would be $55 billion higher every year,

00:02:50.880 and energy officials noted that $11.5 billion in capital moved from Canada to the U.S. over the past three months.

00:02:58.180 Smith tied the entire project to national unity.

00:03:00.980 In fact, one of her quotes was so powerful.

00:03:03.840 I'll actually just let you take a quick listen to that.

00:03:06.460 Obviously, there's going to be a little bit of pushback here.

00:03:09.040 We already have the Premier to the West of us calling this not realistic, essentially a distraction.

00:03:14.160 So how do you plan to deal with some of the opponents to this project,

00:03:17.960 whether it's the Premier next door, whether it's some of these Indigenous groups,

00:03:21.420 whether it's just activists who don't want a pipeline?

00:03:24.240 So I will continue, as I said, to build the coalition of partners who are going to be on board with this.

00:03:31.220 But this is a Canada project, and this is a test of whether Canada works as a country.

00:03:38.100 Because if we can't build with the collaboration of the federal government and between provinces,

00:03:43.820 if it's everybody gets to get their products going to market except Alberta, that's not a country.

00:03:48.240 A country is one where we support each other.

00:03:49.860 And I think Canadians are there, and I hope that we can get more and more politicians to get there, too.

00:03:55.200 Energy Minister Brian Jean linked the proposal to Canada's global ambitions.

00:03:59.700 He said, quote,

00:04:00.960 We already see Canada as an energy powerhouse, and with the right infrastructure,

00:04:05.220 moving towards superpower status is both realistic and achievable.

00:04:10.020 Planning will scope the route, the size, the costs, and Indigenous engagement to assess national interest.

00:04:16.540 Officials said that the pipeline will be 42 inches in diameter,

00:04:21.760 and it will go to BC's west coast, and it could move up to 1 million barrels per day,

00:04:27.620 with potential endpoints being Prince Rupert or Kitimat.

00:04:31.420 Alberta focused, of course, a lot on Indigenous co-ownership and collaboration during this announcement.

00:04:36.760 Minister of Indigenous Relations, Rajon Sawney, said, quote,

00:04:39.800 And various Indigenous leaders voiced support.

00:04:52.880 For example, Fort McKay First Nation Chief Raymond Powder said, quote,

00:04:57.020 By working together with government and industry, we can create opportunities that strengthen our communities

00:05:02.460 while showcasing the incredible potential of Alberta's energy sector.

00:05:06.460 And then the National Coalition of Chiefs President, Dale Swampy,

00:05:10.000 called ownership opportunities a driver of economic reconciliation.

00:05:13.660 He said, quote,

00:05:14.540 We are happy that Alberta is leading an effort to get another pipeline to the west coast,

00:05:18.580 and we are especially happy that they have decided to engage with Indigenous nations in BC and Alberta

00:05:23.720 right from the very beginning of the process.

00:05:26.320 The technical advisory group includes South Bow, Enbridge, and Trans Mountain,

00:05:31.500 plus senior Indigenous and industry leaders such as Synovus Executive Chair Alex Pourbey,

00:05:36.900 former Enbridge CEO Al Monaco, and more.

00:05:39.820 Alberta noted that Canada is the world's fourth largest producer with the fourth largest oil reserves,

00:05:44.820 and crude exports actually climbed from $6 billion in 2000 to $130 billion in 2024.

00:05:50.600 The line is said to meet growing Asian demand in places like Japan, China, Korea, and even India.

00:05:55.840 Smith said that she hopes the project is actually on Ottawa's next major project list by the Grey Cup in November.

00:06:02.180 But for our next story, we'll move on to the teachers' strike,

00:06:04.520 because Alberta will see its first province-wide teachers' strike in more than two decades

00:06:09.080 after 89.5% of teachers rejected the government's latest offer with a walkout scheduled for October 6.

00:06:15.560 Despite a mediator-recommended settlement and a second agreement negotiated and agreed upon

00:06:20.400 by the Teachers' Employer Bargaining Association and the Alberta Teachers' Association,

00:06:24.940 teachers rejected both, prompting the province to roll out direct supports for families and learning at home.

00:06:31.260 Premier Daniel Smith said the offer on the table was exceptionally strong.

00:06:34.500 She said, quote,

00:06:35.220 She added that the province gave teachers everything they demanded and more,

00:06:48.880 including hiring 3,000 new teachers and 1,500 educational assistants over three years,

00:06:55.120 a 12% salary increase with actually over 95% of the teachers would have seen a 17% increase,

00:07:01.800 and a top category salary rising to $114,800.

00:07:06.560 Smith said, quote,

00:07:07.520 That's the best in Western Canada in a province with lower taxes and no sales taxes,

00:07:12.400 noting it is higher than British Columbia, which obviously has a much higher cost of living.

00:07:16.740 In fact, here's what Alberta Director of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, Chris Sims, had to say.

00:07:21.580 Take a listen.

00:07:22.300 I was surprised when the Premier said that the Level 5 or whatever that is,

00:07:28.020 Level 5 teacher is paid $114,800 per year if they had accepted this offer.

00:07:36.820 Highest paid teachers in Western Canada if they had accepted this offer.

00:07:41.620 On top of that, the province of Alberta is promising to hire 3,000 new teachers plus 1,500 classroom assistants,

00:07:51.300 all while we're facing down a huge debt of about $84 billion.

00:07:57.620 Yeah, that sounded like a pretty darn generous offer.

00:08:02.280 Teachers should really stop and think and ask themselves.

00:08:05.080 Think of that pay increase, okay, 3% per year for the next four years.

00:08:12.420 Think of your workplaces where you get to go to work that is clean and safe and everybody's looking up to you as the smartest person in the room.

00:08:21.960 Think about the time you get off.

00:08:23.980 Think of the holidays that you have.

00:08:25.620 And then compare that to other workers in Alberta.

00:08:30.560 They're in a pretty good situation compared to a lot of other workers in this province, frankly.

00:08:36.600 And the Alberta teachers should accept a deal.

00:08:40.520 This is a pretty generous deal.

00:08:42.580 In a Facebook post, the Canadian Taxpayers Federation broke it down pretty well, actually, saying, quote,

00:08:47.740 Here's the pay grid the Alberta teachers rejected by 89.5%.

00:08:52.040 Imagine being 22 years old, straight out of a teacher's college, and you start at $71,000.

00:08:57.560 Less than 10 years experience, and you're already making $110,000.

00:09:02.040 Plus benefits, pension, day shifts, vacation, summers, secure job, etc.

00:09:07.080 Province offered 12% over four years, plus hiring 3,000 new teachers, plus hiring 1,500 new education assistants.

00:09:13.640 Why did they reject this very generous offer?

00:09:16.880 What's going on with this?

00:09:18.420 And it seems like no one knows.

00:09:19.960 Finance Minister Nate Horner said the government had increased its offer yet again.

00:09:24.080 He said, quote,

00:09:24.880 We put $2.6 billion on the table, $300 million more than our spring offer, and the teachers still rejected it.

00:09:31.680 Let's also remember that the offer that the teachers just rejected was put forward last week by the ATA and accepted by TEBA.

00:09:39.780 I have to say, I'm left questioning what it is exactly the teachers want.

00:09:43.520 I believe it is harmful for the union to strike without clearly understanding and presenting what their members are looking for.

00:09:51.600 He maintained the package would have made Alberta's teachers, again, the highest paid in Western Canada after taxes.

00:09:57.400 But to mitigate the impact on families, the province is stepping up while the teachers step aside, and it will provide $150 per week per student to parents of children 12 years old and under in public, separate, or Francophone schools affected by the strike.

00:10:12.100 According to the government, the payments will be funded through redirected, unused education grants and unspent teacher salaries during the strike year, so eligible parents and guardians can begin preparing on the provincial website.

00:10:23.820 The first payment will be made October 31st if the strike proceeds.

00:10:27.720 Education Minister Dimitrios Nikolaides also unveiled a free parent toolkit to keep learning on track at home.

00:10:33.280 He said, quote, the toolkit provides a week-by-week guide for parents to follow the Alberta curriculum.

00:10:38.480 It covers core subjects, offers practice materials, and will be updated weekly in English and French.

00:10:44.160 But even without a ratified agreement, Nikolaides said the government would proceed with $300 million to hire at least 1,500 educational assistants over the next three years.

00:10:53.260 Smith also highlighted $8.6 billion in school construction funding to build 130 new schools and add 200,000 student spaces by 2030.

00:11:01.500 She pointed to the extraordinary enrollment growth with, of course, more than 80,000 new students in the past three years as the system's primary pressure point.

00:11:10.920 Smith said, quote, we just simply have a space restriction.

00:11:13.920 We just had 100,000 kids almost come into the system in three years, and we have a physical space restriction that we are working through.

00:11:20.560 The province has linked enrollment pressures to federal immigration trends.

00:11:24.900 Smith previously, of course, criticized the Liberals' reckless immigration policies and Immigration Minister Joseph Skow.

00:11:30.780 Similarly, said they had lost control of sustainable immigration in Canada.

00:11:34.780 Alberta has grown faster than any other province in Canada over the last several years, partially due to repeatedly leading the country in interprovincial migration.

00:11:43.120 And some of the teachers seem to be realizing this, that it's enrollment that is causing the issues, but maybe they aren't just coming to the evident point that it's immigration is the problem.

00:11:52.320 As for our next story, we'll hop into a mayoral race because Calgary mayoral candidate Jeremy Farkas used a scheduled Reddit Ask Me Anything to promote a hate tracking initiative, opposed Alberta's efforts to enforce its ban on child gender transitions and other woke policies.

00:12:07.020 So framing his platform as fiscally conservative but supportive of vulnerable populations, Farkas said his plan includes hate tracking and education programs, culturally competent training for first responders, and the housing equity roadmap to ensure our housing system works for racialized, newcomer, indigenous, disabled, and 2SLGBTQ residents.

00:12:27.160 A campaign policy brief repeated the pledge to invest in community-ledged education and hate tracking, and on reconciliation, Farkas said Mayor Jyoti Gondek deserves real credit, vowing to continue partnerships in housing and land use.

00:12:40.520 He declined to support the province's use of the notwithstanding clause on gender policy, writing, quote,

00:12:46.000 I do not support that use of the notwithstanding clause, and suggesting such decisions should be left to municipalities.

00:12:52.620 Pressed about alleged association with racism, bigotry, and xenophobia, Farkas replied, quote,

00:12:58.720 I've never associated myself with that kind of garbage, pointing to a past Pride-themed Wild Rose Parade logo when he was a constituency association president. 0.92

00:13:07.200 He added he has promoted a pro-immigration message for Calgary. 0.96

00:13:11.520 On transit safety and affordability, Farkas called for more safety ambassadors and better lighting and visibility at stations.

00:13:18.720 He backed former Mayor Naheed Nenshi's mental health and addiction strategy, saying, quote,

00:13:23.620 I've backed efforts like culturally competent safety training and restoring liaison officers so BIPOC and newcomer communities feel represented and protected.

00:13:31.200 True North's previous exclusive polling showed Farkas leading overall among mayoral candidates in Calgary at 31.08% support,

00:13:39.400 with 39.4% support among those who voted Conservative in the 2025 federal election.

00:13:45.260 Of course, Sonia Sharp was in second at 22.5%.

00:13:48.460 Despite the province taking a stand against bike lanes and transportation,

00:13:52.060 Minister Devendrishan, of course, previously celebrated Gondek when she called the bike lanes temporary,

00:13:56.900 Farkas might take a different approach. 0.93

00:13:58.440 He said, quote, if the provincial government wants us to stay out of their lane,

00:14:02.540 they should stay out of ours, and also advocated for lowering speed limits.

00:14:06.720 One of the users on the AMA asked Farkas what he would do if he was given $100 million to spend on Calgary tomorrow.

00:14:12.680 And Farkas said, quote,

00:14:14.200 I'd launch a social sector surge by partnering with nonprofits, governments, and donors to stretch every dollar.

00:14:20.320 Yeah, that sounds real conservative.

00:14:21.400 For our next story, we'll look over to the Separatists, because the Alberta Prosperity Project leadership,

00:14:46.060 that being lawyer Jeffrey Rath, CEO Mitch Sylvester, and chair Dennis Modry,

00:14:50.180 completed a second round of meetings in Washington, D.C.

00:14:53.120 with what they called very senior representatives of the U.S. administration,

00:14:57.180 and they claimed momentum for Alberta independence.

00:14:59.960 Rath said, quote,

00:15:00.720 He also argued that support for independence appears stronger in Washington than from Premier Daniel Smith,

00:15:16.740 claiming even a supermajority of her UCP members back separation.

00:15:20.620 Rath separately wrote, quote,

00:15:22.880 The interest in Alberta independence is palpable.

00:15:25.300 We all agree that Alberta must be freed from the destructive forces of the communist Chinese-adjacent Canadian government in Ottawa. 0.97

00:15:32.360 Premier Daniel Smith responded at an unrelated press conference,

00:15:35.680 repeating her position that her 10 Alberta Next panel town halls and online surveys.

00:15:40.760 Smith said, quote,

00:15:41.680 My objective is to have a strong and sovereign Alberta within a united Canada.

00:15:45.700 That's what I've been working with the federal government under its new leadership to try and get a grand bargain,

00:15:51.360 as I've been calling it, to get a new bitumen pipeline to the coast,

00:15:54.700 the Pathways Project, and address the nine bad laws.

00:15:58.420 Of course, we know Smith previously issued nine demands for Prime Minister Mark Carney to complete within his first six months

00:16:04.000 to avoid an unprecedented national unity crisis.

00:16:07.180 Well, the six months have passed, and Carney has not followed through on any of them.

00:16:10.500 A billboard campaign, in fact, recently gave Carney failing or low marks on several items,

00:16:15.240 which was an F on repealing the single-use plastics ban,

00:16:18.920 a C on pausing the net-zero vehicle mandate,

00:16:21.540 and an F-minus on repealing legislation that censors energy companies.

00:16:25.900 That was its Alberta scorecard.

00:16:27.580 And the Alberta Prosperity Project has been spearheading a petition to force a referendum on separation,

00:16:32.220 of course, with the question being,

00:16:33.820 do you agree that the province of Alberta shall become a sovereign country and cease to be a province of Canada?

00:16:38.760 The petition, however, remains stalled,

00:16:40.920 penning a constitutional review ordered by the Alberta Court of King's Bench earlier this year.

00:16:45.740 Because, as we know, in August, the Court of King's Bench Justice Colin Fiesby ruled the referendum question requires a full constitutional review,

00:16:53.100 with a decision expected by year's end.

00:16:55.660 Smith had previously pledged to allow Albertans to vote on separation in 2026,

00:16:59.880 if the required numbers of signatures were collected.

00:17:02.600 However, she recently said she was doing everything in her power to prevent a referendum vote,

00:17:07.000 a comment that drew criticism from the independence movement.

00:17:10.020 Of course, this comment was in response to Lukaszak's petition, but she didn't specify that.

00:17:14.700 While former cabinet minister Thomas Lukaszak's petition must proceed under the old rules due to an early filing blunder,

00:17:20.560 which, of course, is going to require him to collect 293,976,000 signatures in 90 days,

00:17:26.940 the Alberta Prosperity Projects would proceed under the new threshold of 177,000 over 120 days.

00:17:32.240 However, Republican Party of Alberta leader Cam Davies previously told True North that Bill 54

00:17:37.160 was why the Alberta Prosperity Projects petition was held up in court.

00:17:41.580 He said, quote,

00:17:42.260 Bill 54 had a number of tripwire and pitfalls contained.

00:17:46.040 There was no requirement until the UCP placed that requirement in Bill 54 for the courts to intervene

00:17:51.120 and make sure that it passed the federal sniff test.

00:17:54.220 It was never her intention to allow this question to come to a vote.

00:17:57.580 It has always been the premier's intention to disturb,

00:18:00.300 stifle, and ensure that this vote never comes about.

00:18:03.600 The Alberta Prosperity Projects 44-page costed fiscal plan highlighted Alberta's economic future under independence.

00:18:09.760 The plan projects that an independent Alberta would generate $4.71 trillion in revenue between 2025 and 2045,

00:18:18.680 save nearly $700 billion, create 300,000 to 450,000 jobs,

00:18:23.800 and invest $1.3 to $1.4 trillion in the Heritage Fund.

00:18:28.400 But that wraps up this week's Alberta Roundup.

00:18:30.500 My name's Isaac Lamoureux.

00:18:31.780 Have a great weekend.

00:18:32.740 Thank you, and God bless.

00:18:39.760 Thank you, and God bless.

Juno News - October 05, 2025

Alberta takes lead on new West Coast pipeline

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