Calgary MP has serious doubts that Liberals will change Bills C69, C48

CALGARY (660 NEWS) – The newly-named provincial outreach minister Jim Carr said the federal government is open to adjusting bills C69 and C48, but a local MP has her doubts.

Michelle Rempel, MP for Calgary-Nose Hill, is skeptical the prime minister is serious about changing the two bills

“I don’t think that we’ll actually see material change under the Trudeau Liberals. But certainly under a minority parliament, we have more opportunity to force the issue, which is something we plan on doing as a first order of business with the resumption of parliament,” said Rempel.

“The long-term downturn of the energy sector has had major economic ramifications for the entire country and the downturn has been precipitated by [those bills].”

READ MORE: Liberals open to changing federal laws at heart of western anger: Carr

Bills C69 and C48 overhauled the environmental assessment process for major projects like pipelines and legislated a permanent ban against oil tankers travelling along the northern British Columbia coast.

“If he was serious about this, he would be signaling an immediate repeal of the provisions in those two bills that have driven away investment,” she said. “There’s been nothing that Trudeau has said that indicates a willingness to ensure that investment returns to the energy sector and that’s very concerning.”

Rempel is also not happy about the appointment of Natural Resources Minister Seamus O’Regan, who is an MP from Newfoundland.

She criticizes his track record in cabinet, and says he has spoken out against the energy sector in the past.

“Mr. O’Regan has been placed in files by Trudeau where, I think, the primary objective was to obfuscate stakeholders, delay them, and frustrate them where the prime minister really didn’t have any intent on fixing those key issues,” she said.

“I don’t have a lot of hope. I’ve been contacted by a lot of people in the last 48 hours that are [concerned]. He certainly has an uphill battle to overcome his reputation for not getting things done.”

O’Regan is expected in Calgary Thursday and is already planning to meet with Alberta Energy Minister Sonya Savage.