Alberta Premier Danielle Smith and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau at the Calgary Stampede festival in Alberta
Letter from Canada: The coming energy war
Conflict between the federal government and Alberta’s new premier seems inevitable
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith wasted no time during her election victory speech in the early hours of 30 May in throwing down the gauntlet to Ottawa about two of its proposed greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reduction programmes: a net-zero power grid by 2035, and an oil and gas sector emissions cap in 2030, with drafts to be released shortly and in the autumn, respectively. “As premier, I cannot under any circumstances allow these contemplated federal policies to be inflicted upon Albertans,” she declared. “I simply cannot, and I will not.” “There is a big fight coming up” Smith, Alberta premier In contrast, the two federal ministers responsible for the policies attempted to turn down
Also in this section
24 March 2026
It is an unusual story of out with the new and in with the old, as America First Refining shows the US going back to trusted energy security developments
23 March 2026
A complex and sometimes contradictory web of factors that include unpredictable oil prices, the globalisation of LNG markets, the expansion of Middle Eastern sovereign capital and the growth of datacentre demand will shape the energy landscape beyond 2026
23 March 2026
The Strait of Hormuz crisis highlights how key waterways can become global chokepoints
20 March 2026
Attacks on key oil and LNG assets across the Gulf mean a prolonged supply disruption, with damage to Qatar’s export capacity undermining confidence in the global gas system
