In the days leading up to the federal election on October 19, we will be publishing the answers to questions posed by 2day FM to the candidates running in the Grande Prairie-Mackenzie riding. The responses are listed in alphabetical order and are unedited. They have not been fact checked and 2day FM is not responsible for any errors or inaccuracies.
Q: Where does your party stand on pipeline projects like the Keystone XL, Energy East, and Northern Gateway that are of significant importance to Albertans?
James Friesen, Green Party
A: The Green party believes that the pipe line companies, must develop a program to maintain the already existing pipe lines before new ones can be built. We feel that it would be in the interests of this country to keep the bitumen, and raw crude in Canada refine it here and develop other spinoff industries in Canada. Selling value added products on the world rather than raw crude.
Reagan Johnston, Liberal Party
On October 30, 2013, Justin Trudeau spoke to the Calgary Petroleum Club. His comments on Keystone XL included:
“I support Keystone XL because, having examined the facts, and accepting the judgment of the National Energy Board, I believe it is in the national interest. It will not eliminate all of our economic problems, as its most ardent supporters suggest, nor will it precipitate the end of the world as we know it, as its most vocal opponents contend. On balance, it would create jobs and growth, strengthen our ties with the world’s most important market, and generate wealth. It would offer much needed flexibility to a constrained continental energy delivery system. Most of all, it is in keeping with what I believe is a fundamental role of the Government of Canada: to open up markets abroad for Canadian resources, and to help create responsible and sustainable ways to get those resources to those markets.”
Saba Mossagizi, NDP
One of the issues with Keystone is that it takes 41, 000 jobs out of Canada. Energy East could be great there are just some amendments that need to be made and we have made this clear. Pipelines are important but they have to be providing good permanent jobs to Canadians and be a pass rigorous Environmental testing.
Dylan Thompson, Libertarian Party
A: The Libertarian Party of Canada encourages these pipeline projects, and want to see them succeed. Until we have grown the capacity to upgrade raw crude, export is our current and predominant way to profit. As long as the pipeline companies respect the rights of others they would be free to proceed.
Chris Warkentin, Conservative Party
A: As a region that depends on exporting much of what we produce I support infrastructure that will get our products to market in the safest and most reliable way. I believe that he most reliable way to get oil and gas to the consumer is through pipelines. The United States has been a significant, and important buyer of our oil and gas but I believe that we must have a diversified market for the products that we produce, including oil and gas. If we can diversify our market we will be better positioned to get the best prices for our products. That is important because if Alberta based companies get top dollar for the product they produce they hire more Albertan’s, they spend more in our communities and they pay more income taxes and royalties which allows governments to invest more in healthcare, families, seniors, education and infrastructure. I support the completion of the Keystone XL pipeline, I also support the construction of pipelines to the west coast and to eastern Canada. We need to access existing, new and eastern Canadian markets to ensure the long term prosperity of our local region.