With just four days until the Grey Cup kicks off, time is running out for Prime Minister Mark Carney to strike a deal with Alberta Premier Danielle Smith on overhauling nine federal "bad laws" throttling the province's oil and gas sector, or risk escalating tensions.
Smith has set the Nov. 16 CFL championship as the deadline for a memorandum of understanding addressing the contentious policies, inherited from the Trudeau era. These include repealing the oil and gas emissions cap, lifting the West Coast tanker ban, pausing the electric vehicle mandate, and reforming the Impact Assessment Act to fast-track projects like a proposed bitumen pipeline to British Columbia's north coast.
Negotiations, ongoing since Carney's ascension to power, have seen progress: Ottawa paused 2026 EV targets and signalled flexibility on emissions rules, tying them to Alberta's carbon capture commitments.
Smith, in an October letter, warned of redirecting oil exports to the U.S. if no accord is reached, amid U.S. tariff threats under President Trump.
"Both sides are working toward a Grey Cup target," Smith said Nov. 4, expressing hope for federal support on "nation-building" energy initiatives.
Carney's office confirmed talks but offered no timeline, as Budget 2025 emphasizes "Buy Canadian".
Critics, including B.C. Premier David Eby, decry the pipeline as environmentally risky. Environmental groups argue concessions undermine climate goals, while industry leaders hail potential investment boosts.
