‘I’m optimistic’: Alberta’s energy minister reacts to federal counterpart’s appointment

Some cabinet appointments on Tuesday have political watchers optimistic about Alberta's relationship with the feds. Others, not so much.

Prime Minister Mark Carney has appointed former Goldman Sachs Canada CEO Tim Hodgson as his energy and natural resources minister.

The rookie Ontario MP was also an adviser to Carney when he was governor of the Bank of Canada.

“I think we’re going to have a reset on our relationship with Ottawa, and I’m optimistic about the future,” Alberta Energy Minister Brian Jean said.

“I’m optimistic about the approach that he’s going to take, recognizing that, ultimately, what’s good for Alberta will be better for Canada.”

The Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers (CAPP) also has a hopeful outlook for Alberta-Ottawa relations.

“A new prime minister and a significantly revamped cabinet offer an opportunity for a reset and to turn full focus on reaching Canada’s full potential as a high-performing country, building from our energy-abundant resources for the benefit of all Canadians,” CAPP president and CEO Lisa Baiton said in a statement.

The shift in the title of the portfolio is significant, says Mount Royal University (MRU) political science professor Keith Brownsey.

“It was Natural Resources Canada under Justin Trudeau. Now, it’s energy and natural resources. The prominent place of energy in that title, I think, is significant,” Brownsey said.

“He certainly understands it very well from a financial perspective. That doesn’t mean to say he’ll be able to give the oil and gas sector everything it wants, but he will know their problems.”

Several ministers are planning to meet with their federal counterparts in the next few weeks.

The prime minister plans to meet with the premiers on June 2.

Danielle Smith says she’s very concerned by Carney’s choice of Julie Dabrusin as environment minister, calling her “anti-oil and gas” in a statement Tuesday.

“Not only is she a self-proclaimed architect of the designation of plastics as toxic, but she is a staunch advocate against oilsands expansion, a proponent of phasing out oil and gas and for the last four years, she has served as the right hand to former environment minister and militant environmentalist Steven Guilbeault,” the premier said in a statement.

“For more than a decade, Alberta has suffered under the anti-development and anti-resource policies of successive Liberal governments that have threatened our livelihoods, landlocked our resources and targeted our industries. Now, we are being forced to contend with yet another ‘keep it in the ground’ environment minister.”