Federal environment minister turned down meeting with major oilsands companies during Alberta visit
CBC
Canada's environment minister was in Alberta this week speaking to handfuls of stakeholders and politicians about decarbonization and clean energy.
But Minister Steven Guilbeault turned down a request for a meeting with major oil and gas company CEOs during the trip — amid industry anxiety about federal policies and timelines to reduce emissions.
The Pathways Alliance, a consortium of companies representing 95 per cent of oilsands production, asked for time with the minister during his visit to Calgary on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Two senior oil company executives told CBC News that Guilbeault's office declined the request.
"Minister Guilbeault was unable to accommodate a meeting with Pathways Alliance during this visit," a statement from Pathways confirmed.
"We are always willing to discuss with the minister ways we can collaborate to significantly reduce emissions from oilsands operations by 2030."
Guilbeault's office said the minister was only in Calgary for 36 hours. A department official was made available to meet with Pathways representatives.
"I had a pretty packed agenda," Guilbeault said Thursday.
"I felt it would be important to meet with people I have less of a chance to talk to."
But one oil executive expressed disappointment at being left off the minister's itinerary given the weighty decarbonization policies he's currently stickhandling.
"We are working well with the department, but it is frustrating when the minister is here he wants us to move faster but he doesn't want to meet with us to discuss a plan," they said.
CBC News has agreed not to name them, as they were not authorized to discuss company matters publicly.
The trip comes as Ottawa is pushing toward ambitious emissions reduction targets by the end of the decade.
Canada has committed to reaching net-zero by 2050, a timeline the industry and provincial government also subscribe to. The interim goals are more contentious.
This First Person column is the experience of Shannon Flaman, who lives in Red Deer, Alta. For more information about CBC's First Person stories, please see the FAQ.
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