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Alberta

Red Deer – Lacombe MP Blaine Calkins sets the record straight on Pipelines

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From a Facebook submission by Red Deer – Lacombe MP Blaine Calkins

I don’t know about you, Alberta, but I’ve had it “up to here” with Liberals attacking our energy sector. Since 2015 they have gone out of their way to cancel already approved pipelines, put a tanker ban on the West coast (while conveniently ignoring the importation of foreign oil on east coast) and creating a regulatory quagmire that makes building a pipeline in this country next to impossible. This means billions of dollars in investment have been chased out of Canada and hundreds of thousands of jobs have been lost.
“But the Conservatives under Harper never built a pipeline” is the cry offered by Liberals and those trying hard to defend them! Baloney!
The Libs have tried to sell this false bill of goods since 2016, and it didn’t stand up then, but since so many people like to continue to repeat this nonsense, I think it’s time to set the record straight on pipelines once again.
Fact: 4 major Pipelines Were Built in Canada between 2006 and 2015.
1. Enbridge Alberta Clipper – 1607km. Applied 2007, approved 2008, built in 2010 and transports 450,000 barrels per day. (https://www.reuters.com/…/update-1-enbridge-begins…)
2. Trans Canada Keystone. 1247km (in Canada). Applied 2006, approved 2007, built 2010, and transports 435,000 barrels per day. (https://www.tcenergy.com/…/2010-06-30keystone-pipeline…/)
3. Enbridge Line 9B Reversal. 639km (affected) Applied 2012, approved 2014, operational in 2015, and transports 300,000 barrels per day. (https://www.enbridge.com/ECRAI.aspx)
4. Kinder Morgan Anchor Loop. 160km. Approved in 2006, Built 2008, and transports 40,000 barrels per day. (https://www.jwnenergy.com/…/kinder-morgan-marks-tenth…/)
It is noteworthy that between the years of 2006-2011 Prime Minister Harper had two minority governments, which hampered the ability of the government of the day to change the laws and regulations that would streamline the large project application process.
After forming a majority government in 2011, former Finance Minister, the late Jim Flaherty, tabled Bill C-38, the Jobs, Growth and Prosperity Act, which among other things, created a predictable, thorough and streamlined approach to issuing certificates for major pipelines. It did not remove environmental regulations but instead, established time limits for regulatory reviews and created a predictable timeline for energy companies who wanted to invest in Canada. I was honoured to chair the sub-committee of Finance tasked to review Bill C-38, which was passed in 2012.
For the next three years of the Conservative majority mandate, and based on signals of support for the industry, Alberta jobs flourished, and we had near full-employment numbers through most of Prime Minister Harper’s tenure as Prime Minister.
In 2015 the Trudeau Liberals inherited billions of dollars in energy projects that were either fully approved or progressing well towards approval. Unfortunately, many of these projects were either killed by the Prime Minister directly or made unviable by the Liberal’s disastrous anti-energy policies and Bills like C-48 (Tanker Ban) and C-69 (No More Pipelines) that created economic uncertainty that caused investments to flee our country, along with good paying jobs:
Energy East – applied in August 2013, cancelled by then TransCanada in 2017, citing “existing and likely future delays resulting from the regulatory process, (more like heaping on red tape and environmental requirements that even imported oil doesn’t have to comply with) the associated cost implications and the increasingly challenging issues and obstacles.” Project Value – $15.7B https://www.cbc.ca/…/transcanada-energy-east-1.4338227
Northern Gateway – applied in May 2010, approved by the Conservative Government in June 2014. Despite support from industry and indigenous communities, Justin Trudeau made good on an election promise and cancels this pipeline in November 2016. Project value – $7B
Keystone XL – applied in June 2005, Canadian portion approved by the Conservative Government in 2007. The US portion of the project was rejected by President Obama in 2015, re-approved by President Trump in 2017 (which was reaffirmed in 2019) and most recently cancelled by President Biden in January 2021. Despite billions of dollars invested by the province of Alberta on this project, Trudeau only indicated his disappointment in the decision. Project Value – $8B https://pm.gc.ca/…/statement-prime-minister-canada…
Trans Mountain Pipeline – applied in 2013, this project was a privately funded venture with the support of no less than 12 energy companies. By 2018, after changing the rules for this project almost daily, the Liberal government was forced to purchase the old pipeline from Kinder Morgan at a cost of $4.5B, and is now on the hook for new construction with a Project Value – $12.5B (a $5.2B increase since 2013) https://www.reuters.com/…/us-canada-pipeline…
Today, the Liberal Government is facing new pipeline issues as Enbridge Line 5 could be shutdown by the Governor of Michigan – Enbridge’s Line 5 pipeline carries Canadian oil east, running through Wisconsin and Michigan, supplying about half of the oil needs of Ontario and Quebec. In addition, the Enbridge Line 3 Replacement project is at risk as there are rising calls in the US to pull a water permit necessary for the project. To date, the Liberals remain silent on their plans to deal with these pressing matters.
It is worth mentioning that unemployment rates in Alberta from 2005 – 2015 averaged 2% lower than the rest of Canada. Since December 2015, the first full month the Liberals formed government, unemployment rates in Alberta rose to and have remained higher than the national average. (https://economicdashboard.alberta.ca/Unemployment…)
So, let’s set the record straight. Conservatives build pipelines, cut red tape, create jobs and the entire nation prospers. Liberals cancel lucrative energy projects, create unemployment, foment uncertainty and only create a toxic investment climate. The only thing more damaging to the economy of Alberta than a Liberal government is a Trudeau Liberal government.
Thankfully Erin O’Toole has a plan to get the Liberals out of office and get Albertans and all Canadians back to work.
We will highlight the excellent environmental record of our energy sector, which is improving every day. I expect the NDP and Greens to twist the facts against Alberta energy, but Liberals ought to have learned long ago the risk of messing with the Alberta energy sector, not furthering the misinformation of the Greens and NDP.

After 15 years as a TV reporter with Global and CBC and as news director of RDTV in Red Deer, Duane set out on his own 2008 as a visual storyteller. During this period, he became fascinated with a burgeoning online world and how it could better serve local communities. This fascination led to Todayville, launched in 2016.

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Alberta

ASIRT investigations concluded on fatal officer-involved shooting involving the RCMP.

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Incident investigation report from the Alberta Serious Incident Response Team (ASIRT)

Introduction

On December 22, 2022, the Alberta Serious Incident Response Team (ASIRT) was directed pursuant to s. 46.1 of the Police Act to investigate a then non-fatal Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) officer-involved shooting. The shooting of the affected person (AP) was reported to have happened during an interaction with him, as a result of him being a suspect in a complaint of a man with a gun.

While AP initially survived, he died of complications from the shooting the following day.

ASIRT’s Investigation

ASIRT’s investigation was comprehensive and thorough, conducted using current investigative protocols and principles relating to Major Case Management. Information from civilian witnesses, the subject and a witness officers, and importantly video recordings provided sufficient information to determine whether the force used by the subject officer during this incident was reasonable.

Circumstances Surrounding the Officer-Involved Shooting

On December 01, 2022, Maskwacis RCMP received a call reporting that a male [AP] had been drinking and left the caller’s house with a gun. AP was shooting the gun in the country (believed to be the area around the residence). Two RCMP officers responded.

Witness officer (WO) located AP walking on the road with a rifle. AP walked toward WO’s marked police vehicle with the rifle pointed at the vehicle/WO, while WO was seated in the driver’s seat. WO then exited his vehicle with his carbine rifle and moved to the rear of his vehicle while AP kept the rifle pointed at the police vehicle. The subject officer (SO) arrived on scene, but came from the opposite direction. AP turned around and walked toward SO with the barrel of the rifle pointed upwards. SO exited his police vehicle with his service pistol drawn and walked toward AP while he
repeatedly provided verbal direction to AP to drop the firearm. AP and SO were walking toward each other; at that time AP still had the barrel of the rifle pointed upward. As SO and AP got within approximately five meters of each other, AP lowered the barrel of the rifle and pointed it directly at SO. SO fired multiple rounds and struck AP with four rounds causing AP to stumble, drop the rifle and fall to the ground. AP initially survived the shooting and was transported to an Edmonton hospital, where he underwent emergency surgery. The following day, AP succumbed to his injuries.

Analysis

The subject officer was lawfully placed and acting in the execution of his duties in dealing with AP as a person who was the subject of a complaint about him being in possession of a firearm and shooting it off.

The Use of Force

Under s. 25 of the Criminal Code, police officers are permitted to use as much force as is necessary for the execution of their duties. Where this force is intended or is likely to cause death or grievous bodily harm, the officer must believe on reasonable grounds that the force is necessary for the self-preservation of the officer or preservation of anyone under that officer’s protection.

A police officer’s use of force is not to be assessed on a standard of perfection nor using the benefit of hindsight.

With the benefit of hindsight, time for detached reflection and knowledge of the ultimate outcome, it is easy to speculate about how things could have been done differently. That is not the standard, however, against which an officer’s conduct is measured. The question is, applying principles of proportionality, necessity, and reasonableness, whether the force used falls into a range of possible reasonable responses.

Proportionate Response

Proportionality requires balancing a use of force with the action to which it responds. Here, the subject officers were faced with an individual that was armed with a gun and pointing it in their direction. As such, the response by the subject officers in using their respective firearms to shoot AP was proportionate to the threat of death or grievous bodily harm that he reasonably posed to both of them.

Reasonably Necessary

As set out previously in this report, AP presented as a lethal threat to both SO and WO given his actions in pointing his rifle at them. While WO did not shoot during this incident that does not impact the analysis of SO’s actions. Under the circumstances as then faced by SO, no other use of force options were reasonably available for attempted use. The use by SO of his firearm to incapacitate this lethal threat was reasonably necessary. Given the above, the defence available to SO under s. 25 of the Criminal Code would apply.

Conclusion

Under s. 25 of the Criminal Code a police officer is justified in doing what he or she is authorized to do and to use as much force as is reasonably necessary where he or she has reasonable grounds to do so. Force intended to cause death or grievous bodily harm is justified if the officer believes, on reasonable grounds, that the force was necessary to prevent the death or grievous bodily harm of the officer and/or any other person. The analysis under s.34 of the Criminal Code leads to a similar finding that subject officer’s actions were lawfully permitted.

After a thorough, independent and objective investigation into the conduct of the subject officers, it is my opinion that they were lawfully placed and acting properly in the execution of their duties. There is no evidence to support any belief that any officer engaged in any unlawful or unreasonable conduct that would give rise to an offence. The force used was proportionate, necessary and reasonable in all the circumstances.

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Alberta

Alberta requests more control over provincial immigration system

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Alberta is requesting more control over its provincial immigration to address its skilled workforce shortage, including increasing Ukrainian evacuee participation in the job market.

Premier Danielle Smith has written a letter to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau asking him to re-evaluate his government’s decision limiting the number of allocations for Alberta’s provincial nominee program in 2024. Last week, the federal government informed the province it would only receive 9,750 such allotments – which is the same number of allocations Alberta received in 2023 and is less than the 10,140 for 2024 the federal government had originally allocated.

As of February 2024, Alberta accounts for just under 12 per cent of Canada’s population, but it leads the nation in net employment growth, with 42.8 per cent of the country’s employment gains between January and February 2024. By not providing the requested increase to Alberta’s provincial nominee allocations, the federal government is restricting the province’s ability to keep up with its growing labour market demands, especially as it relates to integrating Ukrainian evacuees into Alberta’s job market.

“Alberta is growing and that is good news. Since January 2023, more than 100,000 new jobs have been created in our province and our employment rate has led the country even longer. At the same time, we continue to experience labour shortages that could be resolved by welcoming skilled workers from around the world, including evacuees from Ukraine, many of whom have the exact skills that our job market most needs. Alberta has long been the economic engine of Canada and we are once again requesting Ottawa respect section 95 of the Constitution and let us welcome the skilled individuals we need into our province on our terms.”

Danielle Smith, Premier

With Alberta’s population growth at levels not seen in four decades, Alberta’s Provincial Nominee Program is best placed to address the province’s unique immigration and economic goals.

Part of Alberta’s population growth has resulted from Russia’s invasion in Ukraine on February 24, 2022. Since that time, Alberta has welcomed a significant number of Ukrainian evacuees to the province. While it is anticipated that many will return to Ukraine following the war, Alberta is also expecting a number of families to apply for permanent residency via the Alberta Advantage Immigration Program. An increase in the number of allocations from the federal government would assist these new Albertans to fill positions in the province’s workforce.

“Immigration is key to Alberta’s ability to address labour shortages and to grow our economy. This limitation imposed by the federal government on our provincial nominee program will be a very difficult pill to swallow, not only for businesses that need this skilled labour but also to the many Ukrainian evacuees who have the skills we need and wish to stay permanently in Alberta.”

Muhammad Yaseen, Minister of Immigration and Multiculturalism

Quick facts

  • The federal government through Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada sets provincial immigration nomination limits. It also approves all permanent resident applications.
  • Alberta maximized its 9,750 nomination allocations in 2023, with a total of 10,029 nominations issued within the federal government administrative buffer.

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