WEYBURN – Southeast Saskatchewan can play a major role in helping create energy security for Canada and the North American continent, said Premier Scott Moe, speaking at the Saskatchewan Oil and Gas Show in Weyburn on Wednesday.
In light of the geopolitical situations, such as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, one of the goals of this country needs to be ensuring there is energy security.
“We produce energy in western Canada that is some of the sustainable energy you can have access to, and we need to ensure we make it available not only to Canadians but to all of our friends across North America to ensure we are working towards continental energy security,” said the premier in an interview.
Premier Moe made the remarks to the Oil Show audience before taking part in the presentation of the Saskatchewan Oil and Gas Recognition Awards at the Weyburn Curling Rink.
He said the push for energy security is needed to preserve the freedoms in place in Canada and the U.S., and added, “If we don’t do this, we put all of that in jeopardy down the way. Saskatchewan can not only be part of national energy security, providing some of the most sustainable energy and North American continental energy security, we can provide some of this energy to other countries around the world as well and help them with their energy security conversation as well.”
The premier noted while this province is providing this energy, they are addressing issues affecting climate change also.
“All the while we’re addressing climate change by ensuring as we continue to produce cleaner and greener products right here in this basin in southeast Saskatchewan, that includes oil but it also includes our other natural resources, like potash and uranium,” he said.
Asked if freedom is at stake in Canada, he answered, “I think what we’re seeing play in various areas of the world, energy security does have a role. We’re seeing large countries in Europe and other areas that have been purchasing their gas, their oil and their coal from Russia, and in doing so, are helping to fund the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
“We really need to take a different look in the years ahead here in Saskatchewan and in Canada to ensure we are providing our energy and our food for ourselves, and ensure we have that security so that we aren’t putting ourselves at risk like we’re seeing in other areas of the world,” he added.
As far as the role of southeast Saskatchewan in that, the premier pointed out that in the government’s plan for growth put out a couple of years ago, the goal was set to increase oil and gas production by 20 to 25 per cent.
“I think as the world progresses on this energy security discussion, we can go beyond that, beyond 25 per cent in oil production, which southeast Saskatchewan would be a large part of,” said Premier Moe.
In terms of the environment, the premier noted that with Whitecap Resources, Saskatchewan has the only net negative company operating in the Weyburn Oil Field, as they are putting more carbon dioxide into the ground than is being emitted.
“That’s something we as Canadians can truly be proud of,” he added.
With the recent meeting with the premier hosted by Premier Moe in Regina, he was asked if there is agreement from the other provinces on the importance of energy security.
He pointed out that Alberta had just successfully challenged Bill C-69, which has effectively killed any pipeline projects in this country, as their top court ruled it was unconstitutional, and all of the provinces are looking at the implications of that ruling.
He said Saskatchewan will intervene if the federal government sends this issue to the Supreme Court of Canada, and added, “I suspect we’ll see a number of other provinces intervene as well. C-69 should not be in effect, or the fact that it is in effect is a large over-reach by the federal government in provincial jurisdiction.”
