From Resource Works

By Geoff Russ

Canada can be the democratic world’s top energy supplier, and the G7 Summit in Alberta is the perfect time to commit to that.

Canada is at the crossroads of opportunity as the leaders of the G7 convene in Kananaskis, Alberta.

An Ipsos poll has named Canada the top preferred oil supplier among G7 countries for the second time since 2023. No less than 68 percent of G7 respondents declared that Canada was among their top three choices to supply oil.

This should be yet another motivator for Canada to solidify itself as a key player in energy security and economic stability among the democratic nations.

The timing and location of this year’s G7 summit shows how important Canada can be to the world. Alberta, Canada’s energy heartland, is the source of nearly all of the country’s oil, and the provincial government wants more of it to reach global markets.

Those geopolitical anxieties caused by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022 have not disappeared, and Canada’s allies and partners like the European Union (EU), Japan, South Korea, and India are looking for a reliable and responsible partner to supply them with energy, and we are the best and most obvious choice.

Willing partners are easy to find overseas, but the other provinces and the federal government need to become equally enthusiastic first.

There is more to this than mere symbolism. Canada embracing its position as the most desirable supplier of oil makes complete sense.

In 2023, Ipsos found that Canada’s political stability, comprehensive environmental rules, and strong regulatory frameworks are why it ranked first among preferred oil suppliers. Norway is another popular option, but Canada has the advantage of better market access to the United States and the Asia-Pacific, along with established infrastructure and an open government.

It all combines to create a distinct advantage for Canada in the world of trade.

The US has slid as a popular oil supplier, to Canada’s advantage, and we need to capitalize on that more than ever.

As Russia’s bloody, disruptive war with Ukraine continues to drag on, the EU still needs sources of alternative energy to make a clean break with Moscow. Russia had previously served as the bloc’s effective gas station, albeit one armed with nuclear weapons.

G7 member states like Britain and the EU are looking to slap even stricter limits on Russian energy exports that go beyond what is already in place. Whatever Russia has to lose is Canada’s to gain.

Canada began to enlarge its export capacity last year with the completion of the twinning of Trans Mountain pipeline (TMX), enabling Canada to double the amount of oil it can pipe to Pacific markets. Shipping larger amounts of Canadian energy to partners in Japan, India, South Korea, and others has never been easier.

It was a monumental example of how investing in the right sorts of infrastructure can improve economic security, both nationally and internationally. Internally, developing the oil industry is a long term goal of First Nations leaders and communities.

The myth of First Nations opposing the expansion of oil and gas is one that needs to die. The Indian Resource Council, which represents over 130 First Nations, has repeatedly championed the responsible development of natural resources as a means of fostering economic independence and community renewal.

Many First Nations and other Indigenous groups have invested heavily into pipelines, production sites and storage facilities, and want to expand it further. In terms of pure economic value, there is not another industry that has created more wealth in Indigenous communities across Western Canada.

Complacency from the federal government and other authorities at this time could not be timed more poorly as the G7 Summit comes to Alberta. When the gathering ends on June 17, we should hope that it was a turning point where Canada made a direct and clear commitment to modernizing and expanding its oil and gas sector.

Our role in the world can be that of the great democratic alternative to Russia when it comes to supplying energy and other resources. Alberta knows it, as do our allies and Indigenous people across Canada.

Ottawa should listen. It is time to realize our potential to be an even greater energy superpower.

Through that, we can reduce the power of authoritarian, hostile regimes in the world by building a stronger, more unified Canada.

Sam Cooper

As President Donald J. Trump opened meetings with Western leaders at the G7 summit in Alberta early Monday, multiple reports signaled a dramatic escalation in Israel’s military campaign against Iran—a broader and potentially more lethal phase of the conflict. In a televised address, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu urged citizens of Tehran to “evacuate,” confirming Israeli aircraft were operating deep inside Iranian airspace. Meanwhile, as U.S. military assets approach the Middle East by sea and air, Trump issued a stark warning to Iran’s leadership, cautioning against any retaliation targeting U.S. military assets in the region.

“We are telling the citizens of Tehran: evacuate,” Netanyahu reportedly declared from a secure facility beneath Tel Aviv. “We are taking action to eliminate the existential threat posed by Iran’s nuclear and ballistic missile program.”

Trump, speaking from Calgary hours before his closed-door G7 meetings, warned that any attack on U.S. military personnel or facilities “would be met with overwhelming force,” according to statements confirmed by Reuters.

The warnings accompanied a new wave of Israeli airstrikes early Monday targeting underground missile facilities, command bunkers, and air defense batteries across central Iran. Reuters, citing Israeli military officials, confirmed that dozens of warplanes were involved in the overnight operation, striking missile storage sites near Qom and key military complexes southwest of Tehran.

Israel also said it had struck the Tehran command center of Iran’s elite Quds Force, in what The New York Times and Reuters described as a major escalation in the deadliest confrontation between the two countries to date. Analysts note the Quds Force plays a central role in organizing the Iranian regime’s network of regional proxy militias.

Now in its fourth day, the conflict has claimed at least 224 lives in Iran and more than 20 in Israel, with thousands wounded. Israeli officials said eight people were killed in Monday’s strikes alone.

Iran’s Health Ministry reported more than 1,400 wounded, while Israeli authorities said some 600 have been injured since hostilities began.

Meanwhile, President Trump reportedly rejected an Israeli plan to assassinate Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, three U.S. officials told CBS according to BBC, in a report published Sunday. Trump reportedly told Netanyahu the plan was “not a good idea,” and the conversation is said to have taken place after Israel launched its first strike on Friday.

Unverified reports on Monday suggested that Iranian leaders may be seeking a diplomatic exit from the conflict by pledging to halt nuclear enrichment—but are also searching for a face-saving mechanism that would allow them to preserve regime legitimacy. These claims have not been confirmed by U.S. or Israeli intelligence but are circulating among regional analysts.

BBC News, citing regional correspondents and satellite imagery, reported sustained Israeli bombardments along a corridor stretching from Esfahan to the outskirts of Tehran. Footage broadcast by Iran’s semi-official Fars News Agency showed thick plumes of black smoke rising from industrial zones in Kermanshah and explosions near known missile research installations long suspected by Western governments of contributing to Iran’s nuclear infrastructure.

Iranian authorities, while acknowledging the scale of the attacks, have characterized them as “limited,” claiming that their air defense systems intercepted many incoming missiles.

According to the Wall Street Journal, U.S. early warning systems detected a flurry of retaliatory missile activity inside western Iran shortly after the Israeli strikes began. However, no launches were confirmed—fueling speculation that Iran’s top leadership is seeking to avoid a direct confrontation with the United States or Israel at this stage.

Still, the risks of an expanding war remain acute. U.S. Central Command has confirmed that naval and air assets—including carrier strike groups and long-range bombers—have been repositioned to heightened readiness levels across the Persian Gulf and Eastern Mediterranean.