Dialogues on Canadian Energy podcasts

It has been a few weeks since the last podcast, what developments do you want to touch on?

• Dennis provides a few comments on the TMX/KXL/Enbridge Line 3 status, and also overall developments on Canadian carbon policy.
• Updates on these oil sands pipelines.
• Canadian carbon policy, the biggest development is the advent of the Ford government in Ontario and its resistance to carbon pricing.
• And the looming deadline on “carbon plans” from the provinces later this year.
• In closing, C69 looms out there to be finally passed.

Over the past week, how do you see the reaction to the federal acquisition of TM unfolding?

• From the ENGO perspective, where do they go next?
• What was your view of the prospects of the government actually being able to sell this position in the short run?
• Finally, where does bill C69 stand right now?

The Trudeau government acted decisively yesterday on TransMountain. Dennis, can you first lay out the highlights of what came down yesterday.

• What was your sense of the dynamic that played out in these negotiations?
• How do you see this unfolding over the rest of the year?
• Is this a real turning point for how this country is dealing with carbon and energy? Will we learn anything from it?

Dennis, important press conference today out of Ottawa from the Minister of Finance on salvaging TMX. Can you elaborate for us.

With that context, how do think this unfolds over the next two weeks?

Is there a viable Plan B for Trudeau and Notley if this breaks down with Kinder in the short run?

Dennis since the last podcast some important developments, we see that the federal government is going to take action to salvage TMX, can you elaborate?

What is your sense of this new legislation, this financial arrangement?

How difficult do you see this in coming together, in less than six weeks?

Dennis, big news over the weekend on Trans Mountain, can you first just layout the facts of what has occurred?

• So how do you see this play out for the four key players?: Kinder, Ottawa, Alberta and BC
• If this project is lost, where does this all go?
• Does the NGO movement declare victory?
• How difficult is this for Alberta?

Discussion of recent developments impacting progress on TMX and KXL with special emphasis on the recent BC intervention to thwart the project and the Alberta and federal response to that.

We review the status of Canada’s three major oil pipeline projects, all apparently approved but each struggling for a final investment decision, especially for KXL and TMX.

If these projects are lost, then the long war on Canadian crude production and its role in global climate risk abatement will have been won by the enviros.

A quick pre-Christmas item, around how the carbon tax will be administered in Alberta.

Big news with the Nebraska decision. Dennis, can you put that into context for us?

• Now what is the process going forward for the project?
• And the Canadian political reaction to all of this?

• Imminent Nebraska decision on KXL next week, put this into context.
• Trudeau government and enforcing its TMX approval, just how conflicted is the Trudeau government?

Dennis, it's been a seemingly quiet for the past few weeks, ever since the Energy East termination. Any developments? Calm before the storm?

• KXL
• Regulatory reform legislation
• Advent of Kenney

Dennis it’s been awhile and some momentous developments:

• Can you explain what has unfolded on Energy East, and why?
• How have various Canadian governments reacted?
• Where does this put Canada’s oil sands business?
• Looming Alberta Conservative leadership race,  how will that change the dynamic if at all?

A lot has happened in the past month. As usual all interconnected. Dennis responds to the following questions: 

• First, yesterday TransCanada announced a suspension of the Energy East project.  I know this is connected to the highly controversial re-scoping decision of the NEB. Can you put this into context for us?
• Why would the Trudeau government not want to see this project proceed? Why would any Canadian government not want it to proceed?
• Related to all of this, where is the Trudeau government going on regulatory reform?  And why? 
• Also, unfolding is the Alberta leadership race, where are those aspiring leaders stand on carbon and energy development?

Dennis, significant events keep unfolding on the carbon and energy scene this summer, vacations be dammed.

What are the key developments and can you elaborate on them?:

• Two Supreme Court decisions on duty to consult
• The loss of the Petronas LNG project
• And Alberta politics and what it means for how market access and carbon policy play out

• Dennis, although it’s summer time, some carbon and energy developments over the last month, most notably a Government of Canada discussion paper on regulatory reform. Can you first give us some context for this and why it is important?
• What are the key elements of the discussion paper?
• How different is this from what you had advocated in your submissions to the NEB Modernization Panel?
• How does this regulatory reform, at least relating to major hydrocarbon infrastructure, really matter going forward? 
• Has Canada lost its window of opportunity?

• Dennis, a significant development last week in Alberta, the release of the Oil Sands Advisory Board report, can you first explain the background of it?
• Why is the cap fundamentally problematic to oil sands investment?
• How do the recommendations of the panel impact the investment process?
• Where does this go into the future? Alberta politics, market access, and national climate strategy?