Alberta, Saskatchewan, Ontario Sign Trade, Energy Corridor Deal; Manitoba Premier Nowhere to Be Seen
WINNIPEG — The premiers of Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Ontario signed a historic Memorandum of Understanding this morning at the premiers’ conference in Huntsville, Ontario, to bring critical minerals and Canadian oil and gas to new markets. Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew was missing from the signing ceremony.
“Wab Kinew is proving once again that he is all talk,” said Obby Khan, Leader of the Official Opposition. “He has no real intention to support Manitoba and nation-building projects like this. He talks a big game about supporting pipelines and trade corridors, but he just showed Manitobans his true colours.”
“Manitoba is missing out on crucial east-west economic partnerships as the Canadian economy shifts in response to Trump’s unfair tariffs. Now is the time to make these critical alliances to create a self-reliant and resilient economy here at home.”
The Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Ontario trade deal calls for the three provinces to cooperate to build new pipelines made from Ontario steel to carry western Canadian oil and gas to new and existing refineries in southern Ontario, as well as a new deep-sea port in James Bay. New rail lines would also be built—using Ontario steel—to connect critical mineral deposits in Ontario to ports in western Canada.
“Manitoba needs a seat at the table when these nation-building trade deals are negotiated. Where is Wab Kinew? Who is looking after Manitoba’s financial interests and economic development? It’s clearly not Kinew or his NDP,” said Khan. “Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Ontario are forging ahead while Manitoba is being left behind.”
The three provinces are also calling on the federal government to implement a more competitive federal regulatory environment to streamline the cumbersome regulatory process. The MOU also reaffirms the three provinces’ duty to consult with First Nations to support meaningful economic engagement through partnership programs.
“What is Kinew’s objection to this agreement? Does he support building a pipeline and rail lines across Manitoba, or not?” said Khan. “This agreement is going to be the foundation of economic development and growth for decades to come and Manitobans are missing out. We will be a have-not province forever with this inaction from Wab Kinew and the NDP.”
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