The leader of Alberta’s New Democrats is trying to distance himself from his newly elected federal counterpart over varying views on the energy sector. Naheed Nenshi told reporters on Monday that Avi Lewis’s election to lead the federal NDP marks a widening gap in the federal and provincial branches views on energy. “I thought it was important for Albertans to remember that for many, many years now, the New Democrats have not been fully aligned, particularly on energy policy,” Nenshi told reporters at the legislature on Monday. Those remarks follow Nenshi’s Sunday comments that referred to Lewis as “someone who openly cheered for the defeat of the Alberta NDP government.” He added Lewis “is not in the interests of Alberta.” Lewis, a Vancouver-based filmmaker and activist, was elected the leader of the federal NDP on Sunday at the party’s convention in Winnipeg, taking 56 per cent of the votes in the first round of a ranked-ballot contest. He beat Edmonton-area MP Heather McPherson — the only candidate with a seat in the House of Commons and a prominent frontrunner in the race — who placed second with 29 per cent of the vote. Lewis campaigned on ending federal approvals for new pipelines and other natural gas projects and pledged to build a nationwide clean energy grid instead. The pledges mark a stark contrast to Alberta’s oil and gas priorities — including the provincial NDP’s newly announced energy policy, which calls for optimizing the existing Trans Mountain Expansion and boosting natural gas production. “The energy economy is extremely unstable,” Lewis said previously. “We think that we need to accelerate the transition to a more stable, secure and safe economy and an independent Canadian economy.” “Renewable energy can be a major focus of major investments here.” Lewis’s opposition to the oil and gas sector makes him “absolute kryptonite” for the Alberta NDP, according to political analyst Scott Reid. “Nenshi had to separate himself immediately from Avi Lewis and his anti-energy message,” Reid said. He also added Premier Danielle Smith’s United Conservative government would have a new talking point opposing the provincial NDP. Those talking points have already begun for Smith. In a Sunday social media post, the premier pointed out the federal and provincial branches of the NDP are “tied together,” as written in the provincial party’s constitution. “They can’t hide behind ‘we’re a different party’ because they’re not, they share a constitution,” Smith later added at a press conference. But speaking with reporters, Nenshi pointed out the first line of the constitution in Smith’s post affirmed the autonomy of provincial NDP branches from the federal party. Saskatchewan NDP leader also distancing herself Nenshi isn’t the only provincial NDP leader at odds with Lewis; Carla Beck, leader of the Saskatchewan NDP, said she would not meet with Lewis unless he changes his stance on natural resource development. A letter obtained by CTV News shows Beck describing Lewis’s positions as “ideological and unrealistic,” saying they would hurt workers, communities and entire industries in her province. Beck wrote that 40,000 direct and indirect jobs rely on natural resource development, and that development contributes billions of dollars in annual economic activity. “Entire communities in Saskatchewan rely on these sectors. The policies and positions you have advocated for put at risk $13.6 billion in economic activity annually in Saskatchewan,” Beck wrote. — with files from CTV News’ Hayatullah Amanat
