Stefanson said she is open to future discussions, but an invitation from new Alberta Premier Danielle Smith is not a top priority. “I understand where the Premier of Alberta is coming from,” Stefansson said. “She’s facing an election and some tough things, tough challenges politically within her own province and she wants to get some of those issues out of the way.” But those are not the priorities of the Manitoba government. “I will tell you, there are other, more pressing things that we have to deal with right now, which is why we are here today to deal with the most vulnerable in our society,” she said, referring to her government’s pledge on Monday to more than double the grant funding for homeless shelters and transitional housing services, among other supports for the less fortunate. She said affordability issues, improving the health care system and addressing homelessness are some of her top priorities. This week I sent a letter to pic.twitter.com/Qnb6O1lmiC —@ABDanielleSmith Stephenson was responding Monday to a request by Smith to meet in Churchill, Man., to explore ways the Prairie provinces could work together to move oil and agricultural products through northern Manitoba to other global markets. Smith also requested that Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe attend. “Our leadership will bring weight and purpose to the Canadian response to Russia’s atrocities and show the rest of the world that there is indeed a business case to export Canadian energy and low-carbon food products to Europe,” Smith wrote in a letter that he uploaded on Twitter over the weekend. The idea of sending oil through Churchill is not new, but it has long faced pushback. Some residents have worried about the consequences of derailments and oil spills. Penny Rawlings, a small business owner in Churchill, said in a recent interview that the port would benefit from more business, but “it’s a balance between the economy and protecting the environment.” He cited new technology that stores oil in capsules as a possible solution, as it is easier to transport and can float on water. Alberta Premier Danielle Smith wants to “seize the initiative of the provinces” and sees the use of the Port of Churchill to export energy resources as a way to do that. (Jason Franson/The Canadian Press) In her letter to Prairie premiers, Smith argued that the financial case for expanding the port of Churchill is improving. He said investors are looking for responsibly produced energy and don’t want to rely on regimes like Russia after attacking Ukraine. Smith became premier of Alberta earlier this month. She campaigned for the leadership of her party in part on her pledge to champion Alberta’s independence from the federal government, which she has accused of disrespecting the province’s energy resources. To that end, Smith wrote in her letter to Stefanson and Moe that one of her first priorities as premier is to “seize provincial initiative rather than wait for federal action.” He argued that Ottawa has proven unwilling to find alternative energy sources while Russia and Ukraine are at war. Stefanson said any discussions about marine oil must consult with — and benefit — First Nations communities.
“Part of the Solution”
Europe could be on the brink of a “very significant energy challenge,” Manitoba’s premier admitted. “I think we can be part of the solution, but let’s have that conversation with the federal government and across the country as well, including provinces like Alberta and Saskatchewan,” Stephenson said. In response, Smith’s press secretary, Rebecca Polak, said the Alberta premier is looking forward to that conversation. “In previous discussions with Premier Stephenson, he has shown a strong interest in exploring expanding market access opportunities at the port. Alberta is ready to have those discussions with the Premier when it is ready to do so.” Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe told reporters Monday that he supports any move to expand services to Churchill. Sections of the railway to Churchill, Man. were impassable for more than a year after the floods in 2017. (Omnitrax) In August, the Stephenson government gave $73 million to help the Arctic Gateway Group upgrade, operate and maintain the Hudson Bay Railway, Churchill’s only land link to the south. The rail line, privatized after the federal government sold Canadian National Railway in 1995, runs through remote, swampy terrain and is prone to long outages. Its previous owners stopped running trains to Churchill for about 18 months after the line was severely damaged by flooding in 2017. Under former PC premier Brian Pallister, the province provided no financial support to repair the line. At the time of the August announcement, Stefansson said the upgraded transport corridor could help the world find alternatives to dependence on Russian exports. Smith joins federal Conservative Party leader Pierre Poiliev in supporting oil pipelines through Churchill. Poilievre campaigned on the idea at a Winnipeg rally earlier this year, before being tapped as party leader.
