Danielle Smith slams Trudeau’s methane emissions rules as ‘unrealistic,’ ‘unconstitutional’

by Clare Marie Merkowsky

‘Instead of building on Alberta’s award-winning approach, Ottawa wants to replace it with costly, dangerous and unconstitutional new federal regulations that won’t benefit anyone beyond Environment and Climate Change Minister Steven Guilbeault’s post-office career,’ a joint statement read.

(LifeSiteNews) — Alberta Premier Danielle Smith condemned the Trudeau government’s methane emissions cap as “unrealistic” and “unconstitutional.”

On December 4, Smith and Minister of Environment and Protected Areas Rebecca Schulz issued a joint statement blasting Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault’s new draft methane regulations.

“The federal government has unilaterally established new methane emissions rules and targets to help win international headlines,” the joint statement read.

“Instead of building on Alberta’s award-winning approach, Ottawa wants to replace it with costly, dangerous and unconstitutional new federal regulations that won’t benefit anyone beyond Environment and Climate Change Minister Steven Guilbeault’s post-office career,” it continued.

The proposed regulations, drafted December 4 after the 2023 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28) in Dubai, restrict oil and gas methane emissions to allegedly reduce “climate change.”

“The proposed methane regulations are consistent with Canada’s commitment to cap and cut oil and gas emissions and with calls from the International Energy Agency for all oil- and gas-producing countries to reduce methane emissions from the sector by 75 percent by 2030,” the news release read.

Under the proposed plan, methane regulations must reduce by 217 megatonnes (carbon dioxide equivalent) from 2027 to 2040.

“Canada is on track to meet its 2025 methane reduction target of 40 to 45 percent below 2012 levels,” the statement asserted. “The draft regulations published today are amendments to the 2018 methane regulations.”