Given Canada's proximity to the United States, we tend to take our peace and security for granted.
This comfortable distance from most of the world's violence has also led us to underestimate how useful Canada might be in defusing threats elsewhere using an item some people overlook as leverage: energy.
Once again, energy policy was an element of President Obama's State of the Union Address (2014). What's interesting is both what's seen, and what is not seen.
Here, in the quotes related to energy, is what's seen:
When Christy Clark recently asserted British Columbia didnt need the federal government and also said we don't need Alberta, the B.C. premier demonstrated why Canadas founding fathers were concerned about provincial politicians: when they think in isolation, such premiers harm the interests of all Canadians.
The context of Clarks election-time remark was how BC could become an energy superpower if more natural gas was developed and delivered through pipelines, as opposed to allowing oil pipelines to crisscross British Columbia more than they already do.
In a speech to the Canada-UK Chamber of Commerce in London on July 14, 2006, Prime Minister Stephen Harper referred to Canada as the emerging energy superpower that his government intends to build. The prime minister and Joe Oliver, minister of natural resources, have repeated this claim on various occasions since.
While the term energy superpower sounds exciting and important, that likely isnt where the country is heading (and likely not what we want to be). Rather, Canada is on track to become an energy superproducer if the right policy framework is in place.
BCs governing Liberals presented a Throne Speech recently that included an unexpected announcement: the creation of a BC Prosperity Fund similar in concept to Albertas Heritage Fund. BCs fund is meant to capitalize on the future opportunities from natural gas development. If done correctly, the Prosperity Fund could be a huge benefit to both current and future British Columbians. As with many things though, the devil is in the details.