Why our country is great

fellowtraveller · March 24, 2010

Where else could Quebec and Ontario provincial politicians spout the divisive, insulting nonsense about the oilsands they did at the climate change conference in Copenhagen, then follow it up up shortly after with this display of overwhelming hypocrisy?

Ontario, Quebec sing different oilsands tune when cash beckons
By Jason Fekete, Calgary HeraldMarch 23,

After months of publicly denouncing the oilsands for its environmental footprint, the Quebec and Ontario governments are in Alberta this week with entrepreneurs looking to land supplier contracts with companies developing the resource.

The Quebec government asked businesses from that province to participate in the economic mission to Edmonton this week for the National Buyer/Seller Forum — a conference dedicated to oilsands investment — saying the projects in northern Alberta provide la belle province with “good business opportunities.”

Ontario has also sent a delegation, including its economic development minister, to work with companies in that province hoping to cash in with oilsands contracts.

The missions come only a few months after Quebec Premier Jean Charest and Ontario’s environment minister decried the oilsands during the Copenhagen conference on climate change. The two provinces said they don’t want their greenhouse gas cuts contributing the lion’s share of national reductions simply to offset rising emissions from the carbon-intensive oilsands.

More than 35 Ontario companies and six regional economic development organizations from that province are in Edmonton with Economic Development Minister Sandra Pupatello.

“When it’s good for Alberta, it’s good for Ontario, and when it’s good for those two, it’s good for Canada,” Pupatello told conference representatives Tuesday.

Quebec is sending at least 17 companies, many of them from the clean technology sector, said Chantal Castonguay, North American director for Quebec’s Ministry of Economic Development.

“It provides a good opportunity for our companies to be key players,” she said.

Castonguay wouldn’t, however, address the political sensitivities of having her province’s premier criticize the oilsands, when companies are desperately seeking business opportunities.

“I don’t want to talk about that,” she added. “I don’t talk about politics.”

On Tuesday, Alberta Premier Ed Stelmach and Energy Minister Ron Liepert said they hope those provinces will finally recognize the oilsands generate thousands of jobs in Central Canada and billions in federal tax revenue that funds social transfers and equalization payments.

“It was certainly difficult to listen to some of the comments, but we’ve got to remember this is business to business,” Stelmach told reporters.

“Frustrating, yes. But we’ve got to keep getting the message out to Canadians and investors around the world.”

The government is expecting $15 billion will be invested this year in the oilsands, up from the $13 billion last year, with supplier contracts for oilsands companies often secured at the annual buyer-seller forum