The new premier-elect of Alberta has promised Canadians a revitalization of the Alberta oil engine and further progress on the Trans Mountain pipeline.
Campaigns are full of promises. Some of them kept, others not so much.
Take the case of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, during his campaign he promised electoral reform. Nearly four years later and Canada’s election system remains unchanged.
Politicians make promises, but statesmen keep them.
“Fellow Canadians, the world needs more Canada, and more Canadian energy. This is not just about our shared prosperity. It is also a moral cause,” said Kenney during his victory speech on Tuesday.
By painting his crusade to deliver Alberta’s liquid gold to the world as a moral cause, Kenney inevitably sets himself up for moral failure should his promise fall short.
One thing that’s for certain is, that there a number of behemoth-sized obstacles in the way of any real progress.
Kenney has knowingly created a number of national and international enemies who will likely be calling for his head throughout the entirety of his premiership.
Already, the provincial government of Quebec has made it clear that it has no interest in renewing the failed Energy East project and has signaled their opposition to Kenney. And then, there’s also British Columbia who Kenney has to deal with.
Also the federal government has announced that it will pursue every legal measure to keep Alberta hooked on their carbon-pricing scheme.
The obstacles never seem to end for the premier-elect.
Now that Jason Kenney has promised pipeline development to Canadians, he takes on a mammoth task that might be too big for one person, or even one party to achieve.
But heck, here’s to hoping that Kenney delivers.
