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能源是加拿大的力量：新任聯邦能源部長強調其阿爾伯塔油砂背景 ‘Energy is Canada’s power’: New federal energy minister touts past Alberta oilpatch ties “
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/bakx-hodgson-calgary-chamber-oilpatch-1.7541268
蒂姆·霍奇森在卡爾加裏一場爆滿活動中發表講話，獲得熱烈掌聲
新任聯邦能源部長蒂姆·霍奇森??（Tim Hodgson）周五在卡爾加裏向商界人士發表講話。（加拿大廣播公司）
周五上午，加拿大新任聯邦能源部長蒂姆·霍奇森（Tim Hodgson）在卡爾加裏市中心一場座無虛席的商業活動上發表慷慨激昂的講話，力挺加拿大能源行業，並強調自己過去在該領域的經曆以及建設各種新型能源項目的緊迫性。
這是霍奇森自總理馬克·卡尼（Mark Carney）任命他為能源部長以來的首次公開亮相。現場觀眾多為商界人士，在講話過程中多次報以熱烈掌聲。
“能源就是力量。能源是加拿大的力量。”
“它給了我們建設G7最強經濟體的機會，引領世界走向正確方向，並讓我們在談判桌上有底氣。”
——霍奇森
銀行家出身，擁有阿爾伯塔油砂背景
霍奇森出生於溫尼伯，1979至1985年間擔任加拿大武裝部隊預備役軍官。他最廣為人知的身份是曾任高盛（Goldman Sachs）銀行家，並曾擔任加拿大央行總裁卡尼的顧問。
他還曾任職於安省公營電力公司 Hydro One 的董事會主席。
卡尼慶祝自由黨上個月的選舉勝利。這位總理表示支持在全國範圍內建設輸油管道，以“取代外國石油進口”。（Justin Tang/加拿大新聞社）
不過，對油氣行業來說，他最相關的經驗是他曾在加拿大前15大油氣公司之一的 MEG Energy擔任三年董事會成員。該公司在阿爾伯塔經營油砂設施。
“在高盛，我參與的第一筆大項目就是‘聯盟管道（Alliance Pipeline）’——至今仍讓我感到自豪。”
該管道將阿爾伯塔和不列顛哥倫比亞省的天然氣輸送至芝加哥地區。
“我們當時協助該項目啟動。”
“該管道縮小了天然氣價格差，支持了就業，提高了阿爾伯塔的石油分成，也為聯邦政府帶來更多稅收。就像更近期的跨山擴建項目（TMX）一樣，加拿大能源獲得更好的價格，對每一個加拿大人都有利。”
“加拿大不再被拖延定義，而是以執行力定義”
霍奇森在演講中多次強調行動力。他提到：
“我想說得非常清楚：在我們正在建設的新經濟中，加拿大將不再因拖延而出名，而是以交付成果為名。”
此前的特魯多政府推行了多項減少溫室氣體排放的政策，包括：
- 對油氣行業實施排放上限（該行業占全國排放的約四分之一）；
- 減少補貼；
- 製定更高氣候目標；
- 資助碳捕集項目等。
“每一桶負責任的加拿大石油都能取代世界上不潔淨的能源”
霍奇森重申了能源行業常用的一句話，強調加拿大能源出口帶來的全球性益處：
“每一桶負責任生產的加拿大石油、每一千瓦時清潔電力，都能取代世界上不潔淨、風險更高的能源。”
“我們的出口能夠幫助盟友擺脫對專製政權的依賴，並幫助全球減少排放。”
力挺核能與碳捕集項目，呼籲加速“Pathways 聯盟”
霍奇森強調對各種能源形式的需求，包括核能。他還提到“Pathways 聯盟碳捕集項目”必須推進。這是一個在阿爾伯塔北部油砂區建設的碳捕捉設施，由包括森科爾（Suncor）在內的多家油砂巨頭合作發起。
“我們所有人，包括各級政府與企業，都必須推進 Pathways 項目。”
“本屆政府不做空談政府，而要做行動政府。我們也需要阿爾伯塔省和 Pathways 聯盟同樣如此。”
該項目的目標是通過大規模碳捕集，減少油砂產業的碳排放。
卡尼承諾將設立一個新的聯邦辦公室，負責對大型出口管道等項目做出最終決定，而目前的審批周期為五年，預計在兩年內完成。
活動上，森科爾 CEO Rich Kruger 為霍奇森作引言，並表示：“聯邦政府聚焦建設，這正中阿爾伯塔的下懷。”他還稱讚霍奇森擁有“令人欽佩的職業生涯”。
沒有宣布新政，但“語氣變化令人鼓舞”
霍奇森並未宣布任何新政策，也未偏離自由黨在競選期間的能源承諾。
不過，行業領袖表示，盡管他們希望看到具體行動，但霍奇森的語氣變化已令人振奮：
“在過去10年裏，我還沒見過哪個聯邦部長像他這樣多次提到鑽井工人。”
——加拿大能源承包商協會主席 Mark Scholz
“這是一場非常令人鼓舞的演講。”
阿爾伯塔省對霍奇森持歡迎態度，對環保部長持擔憂立場
雖然阿爾伯塔省對霍奇森的任命持開放態度，但對新任環境與氣候變化部長朱莉·達布魯森（Julie Dabrusin）則表達擔憂。
“我們又一次被迫麵對一位‘讓石油留在地下’的環境部長。”
“這是向錯誤方向邁出的一步。”
——阿爾伯塔省省長 丹妮爾·史密斯
省府部長 Rajan Sawhney 在活動後表示，霍奇森的許多信息“令人鼓舞”。
霍奇森或為能源行業在自由黨政府中帶來轉機
能源行業普遍認為霍奇森是“很好的選擇”，有望借助他在資本市場與油砂行業的雙重經驗：
- 吸引新投資；
- 影響政策走向；
- 推動產業發展。
在競選期間，總理卡尼承諾將使加拿大成為全球“能源超級大國”，以帶動經濟、建設能源走廊、並加快審批重大項目的速度。
霍奇森的任命可能緩解油砂行業對自由黨連任的擔憂，尤其是擔心現行政策繼續限製行業發展。
過去十年中，能源領袖曾批評自由黨政府的政策，如：
- 清潔燃料法；
- 油氣排放上限；
- 改變重大項目評估程序等。
霍奇森在卡爾加裏期間還將會見原住民領袖、能源企業高管和阿爾伯塔省政府官員。
Translated by 翻譯： Central Alberta Chinese Culture Centre (CACCC)
'Energy is Canada's power': New federal energy minister touts past Alberta oilpatch ties
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/bakx-hodgson-calgary-chamber-oilpatch-1.7541268
Tim Hodgson gets loud applause at sold-out event in downtown Calgary
Kyle Bakx · CBC News ·
Tim Hodgson, the new federal energy minister, spoke to a business crowd in Calgary on Friday. (CBC)
The new federal energy minister delivered a boisterous speech in support of the country's energy sector on Friday morning, while highlighting his past involvement in the sector and the urgent need to build a variety of new energy projects.
Tim Hodgson spoke to a business crowd, which gave him loud applause at a sold-out event in downtown Calgary as part of his first appearance since the cabinet appointment by Prime Minister Mark Carney.
"Energy is power. Energy is Canada's power. It gives us an opportunity to build the strongest economy in the G7, guide the world in the right direction, and be strong when we show up at a negotiation table," said Hodgson in his speech.
Born and raised in Winnipeg, Hodgson served as a reserve officer in the Canadian Armed Forces from 1979 to 1985. Hodgson is most-known as a former banker with Goldman Sachs who served as an adviser to Carney at the Bank of Canada.
Hodgson's resumé also includes the role of board chair at Hydro One, Ontario's public electricity provider.
Still, for those in the oilpatch, his most relevant career experience was the three years he spent as a board member with MEG Energy, one of the top-15 largest oil and gas producers in Canada and one that operates an oilsands facility in Alberta.
"At Goldman, one of my first major deals is also one of the deals I am still the proudest of today:
The Alliance Pipeline."
Reshaping Alberta’s energy relationship with the federal government
Alliance is a pipeline that transports natural gas from Alberta and British Columbia to the Chicago area.
"We helped get that project off the ground," Hodgson said.
"That pipeline closed the natural gas price differential, supported jobs, and brought Alberta better royalties and the federal government more revenue. A better price for Canadian energy helped every Canadian — just like more recently, with the building of the TMX expansion."
The federal government under former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau purchased the Trans Mountain pipeline project and built the expansion pipeline to transport oil from Edmonton to an export terminal near Vancouver.
"I want to be very clear. In the new economy we are building, Canada will no longer be defined by delay. We will be defined by delivery," he said.
Trudeau introduced several policies aimed at reducing the country's greenhouse gas emissions, including the proposed emissions cap on the oil and gas sector, which represents 30 per cent of the country's total emissions.
He also reduced the amount of subsidies to the sector, strengthened climate targets, and introduced funding aimed at reducing emissions and developing carbon capture projects.
Carney has pledged to create a new federal office to give final decisions on projects, such as large export pipelines, within two years compared to the current five-year timeline. (Kyle Bakx/CBC)
Hodgson repeated a phrase often promoted by the oil and gas sector about how the export of energy from Canada creates an overall benefit for the world.
"Every barrel of responsibly produced Canadian oil and every kilowatt of clean Canadian power can displace less clean, riskier energy elsewhere in the world," he said. "Our exports can help our allies break dependence on authoritarian regimes and help the world reduce our emissions."
Hodgson highlighted the need for various types of energy including nuclear power, while also pressing for the Pathways project to proceed, which is a proposed carbon-capture facility in the oilsands region of northern Alberta.
"All of us, governments and industry, need to get the Pathways project done. This government will not be a government of talk, but a government of action. We need the same from the province of Alberta and the Pathways Alliance," he said.
The Pathways organization is a collaboration between oilsands giants, including Suncor. The company's CEO Rich Kruger introduced Hodgson at the event, saying the government's focus on building is "music to Alberta's ears." He also praised Hodgson for his distinguished career.
The new energy minister did not make any announcements or signal any changes in government policy beyond what the Liberals had pledged during the campaign.
Several industry leaders say they want to see action from the federal government, but for now, are pleased with the change in tone.
"I haven't seen a federal cabinet minister talk about rig workers as much as ...[Hodgson] did in the last 10 years," said Mark Scholz, head of the Canadian Association of Energy Contractors, after the event. "It was a very encouraging speech."
Several provincial leaders, including Alberta Premier Danielle Smith, have called for a political "reset" in how Ottawa engages with the West.
Smith was also "very concerned" about the appointment of new Environment and Climate Change Minister Julie Dabrusin.
"We are being forced to contend with yet another 'keep it in the ground' environment minister. This is a step in the wrong direction," Smith said, following the recent federal election.
Industry sees Hodgson as 'a great pick'
The Alberta government is much more open-minded about Hodgson's appointment, while those in the industry praised him as "a great pick" and "probably the best choice" for the job.
Those in the industry hope Hodgson's combination of capital markets experience and knowledge of the oilpatch will help attract investment and shape policy that will help the sector blossom.
During the election campaign, Carney said his government would make Canada the world's "leading energy superpower" to kick-start the country's economy, build energy corridors, and make faster regulatory decisions on major projects.
The country is facing the possibility of an economic recession from the serious threat of U.S. President Donald Trump's tariffs.
Hodgson's appointment could alleviate some of the frustrations voiced by oilpatch leaders about the re-election of the Liberals and the concerns of continued policies that target the sector.
Over the last decade, oilpatch leaders have criticized the Liberal government for introducing legislation that harms the sector such as the clean fuel regulations, the proposed emissions cap and changes to the federal assessment of major projects.
On Friday, Alberta cabinet minister Rajan Sawhney said many of Hodgson's messages "were encouraging."
Hodgson did not speak to reporters at the event. While in Calgary, the minister is meeting with Indigenous leaders, industry executives and Alberta government ministers.
