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By Rashid Husain Syed

Carney vows action but Alberta wants to see results and the repeal of Trudeau-era regulations

Ottawa is promising speed, Alberta is demanding proof, and the future of Canada’s energy industry hangs in the balance. A change in government hasn’t changed the tone—mistrust still defines the relationship between Ottawa and the oil-rich West. That tension is far from resolved, and any reconciliation may still be weeks or months away.

Prime Minister Mark Carney has pledged to “build big, build bold, and build now.” In recent days, new federal Energy Minister Tim Hodgson has been repeating the prime minister’s campaign promise to fast-track projects of national interest, including major energy projects. “Canada will no longer be defined by delay. We will be defined by delivery,” Hodgson underlined in a speech at the Calgary Chamber of Commerce last Friday, pledging to see through the prime minister’s vision to transform “Canada into a conventional and clean energy and natural resources superpower.”

Hodgson made it clear Ottawa is in a hurry. “No more five-year reviews. Decisions will come in two years for all projects. This is not a time for half measures or slow steps,” he said.

In a post-address interview with chamber CEO Deborah Yedlin, Hodgson emphasized his focus on “quick wins” in the energy sector. He reiterated support for the proposed new West to East pipeline, a crosscountry project intended to move Alberta oil and gas to refineries and ports in Eastern Canada, and promised new infrastructure to get Canadian energy “to trusted allies” outside the U.S.

But while pursuing energy infrastructure at speed, Hodgson asserted that limiting greenhouse gas emissions remains a priority. The Carney government sees crude and natural gas exports as complementary to climate goals, not in conflict. This dual-track approach—clean and conventional energy moving forward in tandem—reflects the government’s broader energy vision.

Many in the Calgary business community responded with cautious optimism. Some were encouraged that Calgary was Hodgson’s first major stop. Others were skeptical. “There is some repair and trust-building that has to happen given the challenges of the last 10 years, I would argue,” Yedlin later told reporters, emphasizing that the real test will be reducing regulatory burdens on major projects.

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith, building pressure on Ottawa, was quoted in media reports as saying it’s “go time” for Mark Carney.

“Enough with the foot-dragging. Enough with trying to maintain the same failed policies of the last 10 years. Let’s get going,” says Smith. “Look. I was told to give this guy a chance. I’m giving him a chance. Now I’m telling him: Don’t blow it.”

Her demands are clear: scrap the Liberal No More Pipelines law—formally known as the Impact Assessment Act—along with the cap on oil and gas emissions, the net-zero electricity regulations and the tanker ban off the west coast.

That’s just part of the list. But as Smith puts it, “So far I’m not seeing anything to suggest there’s been a true change of heart.”

“I’ve got a mandate to develop our economy and exercise our constitutional rights, and I’m going to do that, one way or the other,” she emphasized, almost threateningly.

For Canadians, what’s at stake is more than pipeline routes. The outcome of this standoff could shape national energy prices, affect investor confidence in Canadian infrastructure and resource sectors, influence emissions targets and test the limits of federal-provincial cooperation.

Carney and Hodgson face more than infrastructure challenges—they must bridge a widening political divide. The clock is ticking.

Toronto-based Rashid Husain Syed is a highly regarded analyst specializing in energy and politics, particularly in the Middle East. In addition to his contributions to local and international newspapers, Rashid frequently lends his expertise as a speaker at global conferences. Organizations such as the Department of Energy in Washington and the International Energy Agency in Paris have sought his insights on global energy matters

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