The Royal Canadian Navy is replacing the Heart of Oak marching song with something “more inclusive,” over concerns of colonialist, exclusionary, and gender-specific lyrics. Former naval officer Andrew MacGillivray joined True North’s Rachel Parker to discuss the implications of this change, and the eroding morale and identity within the navy.
Energy association predicts highest oil and gas drilling since 2015 despite emissions cap
An energy trade association forecasts that Canadian oil and gas drilling will reach levels not seen since 2015 despite the Liberals’ oil and gas emissions cap and other anti-energy initiatives working against the industry in a time of worldwide need.
The 2024 State of the Industry Report and 2025 Forecast from the Canadian Association of Energy Contractors projects that 6,604 wells will be drilled in 2025, an increase of 448 (7.3%) from 2024.
The report highlighted the industry’s positive contributions and commitment to responsible resource development.
“However, the Association has been sorely disappointed by the lack of support from the federal government,” reads a press release. “Policies like the oil and gas emissions cap and anti-greenwashing provisions in Bill C-59 have left Canada’s energy sector in a difficult position, severely weakening its investment climate and creating additional uncertainty at a time when affordability and global energy security are already under threat.”
The association also projects that the number of wells drilled, operating days, and service rig hours will increase in 2025.
The total number of jobs expected is 41,800, a growth of 2,720, 7% from 2024.
“With increased pipeline capacity following the completion of the Trans Mountain Expansion (TMX) and LNG Canada projects, combined with the new U.S. administration’s strong interest in securing more affordable energy, Canada’s growth potential in oil and gas is only expected to increase,” reads the release.
The association argued that while other countries have seen the importance of hydrocarbons in the world’s energy future, Canada’s federal government has taken the opposite approach.
“Ottawa’s top-down approach with energy-producing provinces has not only ignored the strategic value of Canada’s resources but also posed potential constitutional challenges,” reads the release.
Alberta will invoke the Sovereignty Act to combat the Liberals’ oil and gas emissions cap, arguing that it violated Section 92A of the Constitution, which grants provinces exclusive jurisdiction over non-renewable natural resource development.
The president and CEO of the Canadian Association of Energy Contractors, Mark Scholz, highlighted that President-elect Donald Trump will adopt a pro-business agenda to advance the U.S. energy sector. He warned that if Canada doesn’t follow suit, Canadian families will be the ones that pay the price.
The report said that if Canada continues its war against energy, it will further erode its GDP growth and translate into smaller paycheques and a lower standard of living for Canadian families.
A report from the Conference Board of Canada previously estimated that the emissions cap would result in the average Canadian family having $419 less monthly for groceries, utilities, and mortgage payments. The report added that the cap would reduce Canada’s GDP by up to $1 trillion between 2030 and 2040 and risk losing up to 151,000 jobs by 2030.
The association called on the Liberals to introduce legislation allowing Canada to preserve millions of Canadians’ jobs and livelihoods while supporting environmental stewardship in the industry.
“Our future and the future of generations to come depend on Canada’s ability to compete on the world stage, which will never be achieved unless the positive contributions and economic significance of our industry are recognized at the highest levels of government,” said Scholz. “We must work together to design pragmatic legislation that reflects our potential and strengthens our presence in the global energy sector, and our Association is committed to collaborating with any government to reach that goal.”
Whitecourt elementary school cancels Christmas concert for not being inclusive enough
An Alberta elementary school has cancelled its winter concert before Christmas break after deeming it wouldn’t be inclusive enough.
True North’s Rachel Parker revealed that some students and parents were upset about Pat Hardy Elementary School’s decision to cancel the concert “because not all students celebrate Christ’s birth.”
The Whitecourt school’s principal released a statement on the decision, which she said follows discussions with the Pat Hardy School Advisory Council and school staff.
“Not all students celebrate Christmas, and their families may or may not choose to have them participate in the Christmas concert. Other families celebrate Christmas as a religious holiday but do not want children engaging in the non-religious parts such as Santa, Christmas trees, etc.,” she wrote in the since-deleted statement.
Despite arguing that Christmas is a non-inclusive time, the entire school has Christmas break and no school between Dec. 23 and Jan. 7.
The principal added that while some students celebrate Christmas traditions such as Santa, trees, and gifts, they do not participate in the religious aspect of the holiday.
“Preparing for a concert involves months of preparations and daily practice in the final weeks prior to the event. As a result, students who are not participating are excluded from multiple music lessons and classroom practices for an extended period of time,” wrote the principal. “We work hard to find ways to ensure our events are as inclusive to as many students and families as possible.”
The principal explained that the music teacher is currently covering a grade 4 classroom and cannot facilitate this year’s concert.
She said that a spring concert would be more inclusive.
Northern Gateway Public Schools superintendent Kevin Bird said in a statement to True North that the principal’s initial statement poorly expressed the reason for the concert being moved, which was due to the music teacher’s unavailability.
He said the decision was made weeks ago and was supported by numerous parents.
Bird added that various Christmas events, including Christmas choir, tree decorating, gift making, and more, are still taking place at the school.
“While I am not happy with the move of the concert, I am heartened by the scheduled events and the reality of Christmas activities for the students that seem reflective of the true meaning of Christmas,” said Bird.
He added that he has not once heard a recent immigrant or refugee to Canada express concerns about a Christmas concert, and is frustrated that the school may have contributed negatively to the narrative.
“While I know that what was published in the newsletter was done with the best of intentions, that doesn’t mean it was done the right way or in the right place,” said Bird.
He added that some students do not participate in some or all Christmas activities, but that no families have ever asked for a school-wide change.
Various Canadians noted their outrage in replies to an X post.
“No, if the people who don’t celebrate Christmas cannot appreciate the concert, then let them just not attend. Why are we erasing our customs and traditions because some people might not feel ‘included.’ We are including them; it’s them who don’t want any part of it,” said one user.
“Ah, yes, because the true spirit of inclusion is making sure no one gets to enjoy anything!!!! Forget celebrating diversity or teaching kids to appreciate different traditions, better to just cancel everything and call it equality!” said another.
The principal said in the initial statement that spring would be a better time for a concert because it’s generally a less busy period, citing financial stresses and family conflicts that sometimes affect people over the holidays.
Bird acknowledged these stressors but said they might actually be more of an incentive to have holiday events rather than the other way around.
“I would see some of the items discussed in the school newsletter as reasons to have Christmas concerts rather than the other way around; providing perhaps a momentary reminder of peace and goodwill in what for some (including me at times) can be a very difficult season,” he said.
Note: This article has been updated to include comments from Northern Gateway Public Schools superintendent Kevin Bird.
OP-ED: Can Artificial Intelligence truly mirror human cognition?
As artificial intelligence grows increasingly sophisticated, it compels us to grapple with profound philosophical questions about its potential to emulate human cognitive capabilities such as consciousness, self-awareness, intentionality, creativity, and free will. Yet, before we can evaluate AI’s potential, we must first address a more fundamental issue: What do these human cognitive traits truly mean? Without a deeper understanding of our cognition, discussions about AI’s ability to replicate it remain incomplete.
Consciousness, a fundamental aspect of human cognition, is often understood as the awareness of and ability to perceive one’s own existence and surroundings. Our inclination to attribute consciousness to other humans rests on two key assumptions: first, that each individual directly experiences their own consciousness, and second, that others exhibit behaviors similar to our own, leading us to infer that they, too, are conscious. However, consciousness is deeply subjective. As philosopher Thomas Nagel famously observed, “There is something it is like to be a conscious being,” but this “what it is like” is accessible only to the experiencing subject.
This subjectivity has profound implications for AI. If consciousness can only be verified by the subject experiencing it, how could we ever determine whether an AI system is truly conscious? The problem becomes even more perplexing when we consider our limited understanding of consciousness itself. While neuroscience can describe the brain’s physical processes, such as neural interactions and chemical signals, we have no explanation for how these processes give rise to conscious experience.
The possibility of AI consciousness becomes even more intriguing when considering highly advanced systems designed to mimic human interaction. For example, imagine an AI companion created to emulate romantic relationships, indistinguishable from a human partner in appearance, communication, and behavior. Suppose it expresses affection, shares thoughtful responses, and demonstrates what seems like empathy. Can we ever be certain it is not a self-aware being? Or are we merely projecting our own consciousness onto an entity that skillfully imitates human traits?
Such dilemmas parallel our exploration of creativity as a hallmark of human cognition. Creativity is often defined as the ability to produce something novel and valuable—an original contribution to the collective human experience. In this sense, AI has already demonstrated creativity. For example, AI programs like ChatGPT can compose unique poems, while other algorithms generate original symphonies or visual art.
The debate about free will further challenges our understanding of human and machine cognition. We often perceive ourselves as free agents, yet our desires frequently emerge from forces beyond our conscious control. Why does one person crave chocolate while another prefers vanilla? The ultimate explanation often boils down to “just because,” suggesting internal mechanisms dictate our choices.
In this sense, human will may not be so different from an AI algorithm. A conscious AI might respond similarly, attributing its “decisions” to the constraints of its programming. As Arthur Schopenhauer aptly noted, “Man can do what he wills, but he cannot will what he wills.” This insight highlights the possibility that human free will, like AI’s decision-making processes, is constrained by unseen factors.
Intentionality—the mind’s capacity to be directed toward something—is another defining trait of human cognition. But where do our intentions come from? Are they self-generated, or do they arise from external and internal influences? AI operates on algorithms that guide its behavior toward specific goals, and one could argue that human intentions follow a similar path, shaped by a complex interplay of biology, environment, and experience.
Ultimately, the question of whether AI can become like humans hinges on our understanding of what it means to be human. If traits such as consciousness, creativity, free will, and intentionality can be reduced to patterns and processes, AI may already resemble us to some degree—and could eventually surpass us. But once AI functions, behaves, and communicates in ways indistinguishable from humans, the question of whether it experiences these traits becomes unsolvable.
As Ludwig Wittgenstein poignantly stated, “The limits of my language mean the limits of my world.” Similarly, the limits of our understanding of consciousness and cognition constrain our ability to determine whether AI possesses these attributes. Just as we can never truly know another human’s consciousness, we may never resolve whether AI is conscious or merely simulating it.
In this light, AI challenges us to confront the boundaries of technology and the mysteries of the human mind. As we create machines like us, we are reminded of the profound enigma of what it means to be human—and whether the essence of our cognition can ever be replicated.
Dotan Rousso was born and raised in Israel and holds a Ph.D. in Law. He is a former criminal prosecutor in Israel. He currently lives in Alberta and teaches Philosophy at the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology (SAIT).
Four in five Canadians believe political corruption is common in Canada and don’t trust government to solve it
Four in five Canadians believe political corruption, backroom deals and bribery are common place in Canada and they don’t trust the feds to solve the problem.
According to an Angus Reid survey, most Canadians believe corruption in both the private sector and Canada’s governments is widespread. Nearly half believe corruption plays a “significant” role in the rising cost of living.
Governments of all levels have found themselves in hot water in recent years over ethics investigations.
The Trudeau government, since coming into office in 2015, has seen countless scandals ranging from the SNC-Lavalin, WE charity scandals and alleged questionable business dealings, including those involved with the recently removed Liberal Minister Randy Boissonnault.
The Angus Reid Institute, in partnership with Mindset Social Innovation Foundation and the World Refugee & Migration Council, surveyed 1,615 Canadian adults between Nov. 14 and 19, 2024, using a representative randomized sample. A statistically weighted survey reports no margin of error, and a probability sample of the same size would carry a margin of error of greater or less than 2% 19 times out of 20.
The survey found that 86% of Canadians believed that backroom political deals and bribery were common in their province, and 81% thought money laundering occurs regularly in Canada. Nearly half of the respondents, 49%, said political corruption was “extremely common” in their province, with 37% saying it was commonplace in parliament and the legislature.
Ontario reported the highest levels of perceived political corruption, 91%, with 58% saying it happens all the time. Quebecers and Atlantic Canadians were the least likely, though 82% still said it was happening all the time or commonplace.
Ontario’s Progressive Conservative Premier Doug Ford has been the target of several corruption complaints aswell, including allegedly giving preferential treatment to certain developers in a deal to build on environmentally protected Greenbelt land. His party is also often accused of holding pay-to-access events.
Conservative supporters and Green Party supporters were the most likely to say political corruption is a common problem in Canada, 90%. CPC voters were the most likely, 53%, to say it was a regular occurrence.
Nearly four in five Canadians, 79%, also said they believe the level of corruption in Canada has increased in the past three years, while only 21% said it has stayed the same. Less than 1% of Canadians felt corruption had decreased in that time.
Conservative supporters were the most likely to say backroom deals and bribes had gotten worse, with 71% saying it increased a lot and 20% saying it increased a little.
The majority of Canadians, 63%, said they had no trust in the average politician to act according to the laws and regulations governing their profession.Those who didn’t vote in the last election were the most likely to report distrust in politicians acting according to laws and regulations, with 81% saying they had no trust.
With corruption in both the business world and politics in mind, 85% of Canadians felt that illegal or “questionable” activities contributed to the rising cost of housing, food, and other essential goods in their community. 50% of Canadians said that it plays a big role, while 35% said it plays a small one, and only 5% said it plays no role at all.
Of four in five Canadians, 80%, 37% said they were not confident at all or were “not that confident,” 43%, in the federal government to fight corruption effectively. 16% said they could, while only 3% said they were “very confident.”
Outlooks improved slightly for the provincial government. 78% said they lacked confidence in their provincial government’s ability to do the same, while 19% said they were confident. While 68% said they lacked confidence wholly or partially that their municipal government could fight corruption.
Meanwhile, the RCMP is still investigating the Liberal government’s Sustainable Development Technology Canada, or SDTC, for allegedly distributing tens of millions of taxpayer dollars to “ineligible companies.”
The Conservative Party of Canada’s ethics critic Michael Barrett tells True North he isn’t surprised by the results of the poll.
“Canadians are right to feel corruption is widespread in the Trudeau government because it is. After nine years of scandal after scandal, this is the most ethically compromised government in Canadian history,’ Barrett said. “Members of Trudeau’s Liberal government have been slapped with six ethics violations and the Prime Minister is a serial ethics violator himself, having twice been found guilty of breaking ethics laws.”
He said the Canadian taxpayers are stuck footing the bill for government scandals that are “almost too many to list.”
The Alberta Roundup | Alberta fights Trudeau’s oil and gas cap
This week, Premier Danielle Smith announced that her government will invoke the Alberta Sovereignty Within a United Canada Act to counter the Liberals’ oil and gas emissions cap. Smith previously called the oil and gas cap “a deranged vendetta” targeting Alberta.
Plus, Alberta MLAs recently voted to increase their own accommodation allowance by 14%. Is this really appropriate given the cost of living crisis in the province?
And due to a lack of plan by the feds in response to U.S. President-elect Trump’s threat of a 25% tariff, the provinces are taking matters into their own hands.
These stories and more on The Alberta Roundup with Isaac Lamoureux!
Legacy Canadian media sues OpenAI for allegedly using its articles to train ChatGPT
A coalition of major Canadian legacy media outlets is suing OpenAI, accusing the tech company of using its news articles to train ChatGPT without the collective’s permission.
The Canadian corporate press outlets include the CBC, Post Media, The Globe and Mail, The Canadian Press, Toronto Star and Toronto Star. They have submitted a statement of claim against OpenAI to the Superior Court of Justice on Friday.
According to the claim, the legacy media coalition alleged that OpenAI is “severally liable” for Copyright Act infringements by using the company’s intellectual property, news articles, to train its artificial intelligence software ChatGPT.
They alleged that the tech company and its conglomerates have “unjustly enriched themselves at the expense of the News Media Companies” and have breached the company’s terms of service by copying its articles for the alleged use.
The group is demanding OpenAI pay $20,000 per article it used without consent, with more for damages to be determined by the court, if the suit is successful.
The suit also seeks a permanent injunction to prevent OpenAI and anyone affiliated with the company from directly or indirectly infringing on those copyrights again.
“The Defendants have engaged in ongoing, deliberate, and unauthorized misappropriation of the Plaintiffs’ valuable news media works. The Plaintiffs bring this action to prevent and seek recompense for these unlawful activities,” it said.
It alleges that as ChatGPT works off of pattern recognition by analyzing enormous quantities of text data, the training of that software “deliberately scrapes” content from the legacy media, allegedly using the proprietary content without consent to develop its models.
This is the first time the five Canadian media organizations have banded together to sue the tech company.
E-Law professor, Michael Geist told True North he will be keeping an eye on the “major case” as it unfolds.
He said the lawsuit is the second copyright AI case launched in a month in Canada.
The Canadian Legal Information Institute, or CanLII, has recently filed a suit against Caseway AI for allegedly infringing on its copyrights.
“Similar cases in the US haven’t gotten much traction yet but are ongoing,” he said.
OpenAI is currently involved in several lawsuits in the U.S. over alleged copyright infringements that involved training its AI models.
The Authors Guild and 17 authors, including George R. R. Martin, filed a class action against the company in September of last year.
In December 2023, the New York Times launched litigation, and last April, eight separate US outlets owned by Tribune Publishing filed separate lawsuits against the company, citing again that their intellectual property rights were infringed to train the AI software.
“Indeed, OpenAI recently succeeded in defeating a case against a couple of news organizations in a NY case,” Geist said.
This month, a judge dismissed a copyright infringement lawsuit against OpenAI by two news outlets, Raw Story and Alternet. The judge ruled that the two outlets could not demonstrate sufficient harm to continue the case. However, the two can refile their complaint as the decision was made without prejudice.
The Liberal Government made similar claims, using the Online News Act, against Google for using the intellectual property of Canadian media organizations to populate its search engine. Ultimately, Google agreed to allow various news outlets to use its content.
Geist speculates that the litigation against OpenAI could serve a similar purpose and result in a settlement to force the company into a licensing agreement with the aggrieved outlets.
New Brunswick temporarily pauses immigration stream
As more provinces join the pushback against mass immigration, New Brunswick has temporarily halted one of its immigration streams.
The province’s government announced it would pause the Strategic Initiative Stream, which focuses on attracting French-speaking foreign nationals.
As of November 28, 2024, the province has stopped accepting new expressions of interest and issuing invitations to apply for the program.
This decision comes as New Brunswick has reached around 2,000 nominations per year under the stream. However, applications and ITAs submitted before this date will still be processed.
“Effective November 28, 2024, the acceptance of new Expressions of Interest (EOIs), as well as the issuance of new Invitations to apply (ITAs) under the New Brunswick Strategic Initiative stream are paused for the remainder of the year, as our full allocation for 2024 has been reached,” a bulletin on the programs’s official website reads.
Recently Quebec also announced a temporary freeze on two major immigration programs: the Regular Skilled Workers Program and the Quebec Experience Program for recent graduates.
This moratorium, aimed at better regulating immigration, will last until June 30, 2025.
The freeze affects applications for Quebec Selection Certificates, which are necessary for permanent residency applications in Canada.
These changes reflect broader adjustments in immigration policy across both provinces, highlighting a shift towards more regulated and controlled immigration processes.
“A scenario for reducing permanent immigration will also be seriously studied by the government,” said Quebec Immigration Minister Jean-Francois Roberge at the time.
“Our objective is clear: we want to equip ourselves with the necessary means to better regulate immigration in Quebec.”
Only 15% of Canadians plan to buy an EV as their next vehicle
Canadians’ interest in purchasing an electric vehicle continues to plummet, with a recent survey revealing that interest dropped again in 2024, down 2% year over year.
According to EY Canada’s latest Mobility Consumer Index, the number of Canadians who intend to buy a fully electric vehicle within the next two years fell to 15% this year, down from 18% last year.
“We’re in the middle of a massive mobility shift and the dip in Canada’s EV demand is a wake-up call,” said EY Canada’s automotive and transportation leader Jennifer Rogers.
“It’s evident that investment has been prioritized in EV development. Now is the time to shift focus to overcome infrastructure hurdles and address consumer concerns head-on if Canada is to achieve its ambitious 2035 targets.”
The survey said that while global intent to purchase a vehicle saw an increase of 7% last year, those choosing an electric vehicle only saw an increase of 2%.
“This year’s index showed that while 48% of Canadians would be car shopping in the coming year, up from 42% last year,” reads the report, “only half (50%) would be considering EVs.”
The top concerns from respondents were EV’s limited driving range, their price tag and the costly replacement of batteries.
The survey listed “unfavourable economic conditions combined with traditional detractors — like charging and range anxiety, and upfront affordability — as contributing factors topping this year’s index.”
“These are in addition to new concerns that come with new challenges to overcome, like maintenance and battery replacement costs, which bubbled up in recent years as older electric vehicles and charging technologies begin showing signs of wear,” it said.
Another common concern cited was Canada’s inadequate infrastructure of charging stations, which remains a major obstacle in the energy transition.
“More than half of respondents shared that installation costs of at-home charging units (57%) and electrical costs (54%) topped their list of concerns, while 42% listed oft-beleaguered availability and long wait times at public charging stations as negatively impacting their user experience,” reads the report.
The Trudeau government set national targets of having 20% of all new vehicles sold be EVs by 2026, 60% by 2030 and ultimately 100% by 2035, however, waning interest continues to negatively hinder this goal.
OP-ED: A common-sense climate policy for Canada
“Axe the Tax!” has become a rallying cry in Canadian politics, and while the slogan is a potent partisan tool for federal Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre, it does not constitute a comprehensive climate-change platform or functional environmental policy. As the Conservatives prepare to take on the responsibility of governing, they must articulate a climate strategy—and it should be one that balances economic growth with practical environmental measures.
Canada cannot afford to continue along the Justin Trudeau government’s path, prioritizing unrealistic, ideologically driven net-zero targets. The Canadian Net-Zero Emissions Accountability Act binds the country to drive down greenhouse gas emissions, requiring an overhaul of the economy’s energy system, including the role of fossil fuels. Hydrocarbons currently supply 73 percent of Canada’s energy needs, underpinning essential services like heating, transportation and manufacturing. Eliminating these barely 25 years from now is not just ambitious—it is effectively impossible.
The costs of these policies are already apparent. Carbon taxes and emissions regulations have driven up energy prices and housing costs, exacerbating Canada’s affordability crisis. According to the Fraser Institute, the federal government’s 2030 Emissions Reduction Plan could add $55,000 to the average cost of a new home. This comes as federal spending on climate measures reaches $20 billion annually, with the broader economic cost of net-zero estimated at $60 billion per year. These sacrifices are pointless; Canada contributes only 1.5 percent of global carbon dioxide emissions and international progress remains elusive as developing nations, especially China and India, continue to increase their fossil fuel use.
Canadians are increasingly aware of the resulting financial and social burdens. Young people, seniors and working families feel the squeeze as energy and housing become less affordable. Adding to the frustration is Canada’s consistent failure to meet its international climate commitments. Unrealistic targets breed cynicism, especially when paired with negligible global impact.
A newly elected Poilievre government might be tempted to take a reactionary approach that cancelled all climate measures. But this would be neither politically viable nor responsible. While such a U-turn would appeal to some, it would alienate moderates and reinforce perceptions that the Conservatives lack credible solutions.
Instead, Canada should follow a pragmatic middle path, one inspired by the Copenhagen Consensus—a cost-benefit-driven approach that prioritizes technological innovation and adaptation over punitive measures.
A reimagined Canadian climate policy would shift away from utopian targets and timelines. The net-zero goal, according to scientists aligned with the Copenhagen Consensus model, should be postponed to 2070 or even 2100, recognizing the long timelines required for energy transitions. Rather than subordinating everything to emissions reduction, the Conservatives should pursue a combined policy that aims to optimize economic growth, energy security, environmental quality and social cohesion.
Technological realism is key. Governments should abandon attempts to “pick winners” through subsidies or mandates, focusing instead on funding basic research and development. This aligns with the Copenhagen Consensus’ findings that investments in science yield far greater benefits than imposing carbon taxes or accelerating transitions prematurely. Developing and commercializing new technologies at an organic pace is the most effective path toward meaningful emissions reductions.
Equally important is the emphasis on adaptation and resilience. Climate policies should focus on protecting communities and infrastructure from immediate risks like flooding and extreme weather. Adaptation measures such as land-use regulations that discourage construction in flood-prone areas deliver tangible benefits regardless of whether climate projections materialize. Building resilience enhances Canada’s ability to withstand not only long-term climate changes but also short-term variability.
A common-sense climate policy would also recognize Canada’s vast oil and natural gas reserves as assets rather than liabilities. Current regulations like the 2035 Clean Electricity mandate and the recently announced “cap” on oil and gas emissions (actually, a draconian 35-percent reduction) undermine Canada’s energy security and economic stability. Revising or repealing these measures would ensure that the country’s resources contribute to both domestic needs and export markets.
Reforms are urgently needed at the regulatory level to streamline environmental assessments and reduce delays in major projects, housing construction and capital investment, including the following:
1.) Federal environmental reviews currently take years, sometimes over a decade, deterring investment and eroding public confidence. Simplifying these processes while maintaining rigorous environmental standards would promote job creation and economic growth.
2.) To address Canada’s housing crisis, federal climate-driven building mandates that inflate construction costs must be reconsidered. Housing policy should remain the responsibility of provincial and municipal governments, where solutions can be tailored to local needs.
3.) Harmonizing Canada’s regulatory frameworks with those of the United States would facilitate cross-border trade and reduce compliance costs for industries. This is particularly important as the incoming Trump Administration moves to deregulate business and ditch measures like EV mandates. While Canada should not blindly follow its neighbour’s lead, close alignment on key standards is the pragmatic choice.
Finally, fostering federal-provincial harmony is essential. The Trudeau era has been marked by discord, with provinces like Alberta and Saskatchewan bearing disproportionate burdens from federal policies. A collaborative approach that respects regional differences would not only improve governance but rebuild trust in the federation.
This proposed path is not a denial of climate change—it is a rejection of ideological extremism. By prioritizing innovation, resilience and economic stability, Canada can achieve measurable progress while remaining competitive on the global stage. The time for compromise and common sense is now.
The original, full-length version of this article was recently published in C2C Journal.
Robert Lyman is a retired energy economist who served for 25 years as a policy advisor and manager on energy, environment and transportation policy in the Government of Canada.
