As Canadian as possible … under the circumstances

Was it a misspeak? A misstep? A mistake?

Whatever, Canada’s Natural Resources Minister Joe Oliver stumbled in attempting to state his view on Alberta Premier Alison Redford’s dream of a national energy strategy to develop Canada’s natural resources in a responsible, cooperative manner.

Following a meeting of provincial energy ministers, who broadly endorsed the objective, Oliver said he hadn’t heard any thoughts about a strategy that weren’t being dealt with already.

He then appeared to heap scorn on Redford’s efforts to develop support for her campaign, referring to several conversations the two had over the summer.

“I’ve asked her about what she had in mind and I haven’t heard anything that suggested something new,” Oliver said. “If you want to put a bow on it (Redford’s proposal) and call it a Canadian Energy Strategy, go ahead. But we (the federal government) are not applying that labeling to it.”

Redford, who was in China on a trade mission, was not available for comment, but the startled response from within Alberta government circles forced Oliver to clarify his position.

“The province of Alberta is putting forward a Canadian Energy Strategy,” he said in a statement. “In my discussions with (Alberta Energy Minister) Ken Hughes and also with the premier, what they were talking about collectively was an approach which related to areas of provincial jurisdiction and didn’t involve the federal government.

“They of course are entirely free to do that. It’s within their jurisdictional competence. It’s a very positive thing. They have every right to do it and we’re encouraging of whatever cooperation they arrive at together.”

Hughes offered the most diplomatic response he could muster by saying the “underpinnings of the Canadian Energy Strategy are evolving. There is immense goodwill on all sides to collaborate, work together and build a strategy.”

Observers, however, were left wondering how there could ever be a strategy without the Canadian government as a partner, not to mention British Columbia Premier Christy Clark, who has emphatically spurned the idea.

—Gary Park