Provincial finance ministers from across Canada gather in Ottawa to meet with their federal counterpart
The move is a reaction to ongoing revelations that extractive companies have been paying foreign governments and their proxies vast sums to win lucrative resource engineering deals.
Back in January 2012, Natural Resources Minister Joe Oliver referred to opponents of Northern Gateway as foreign-funded “radicals.” Now he’s taking a less antagonistic approach.
The meeting follows signals from the Prime Minister to work more closely on emissions regulations to help win approval for the Keystone XL pipeline
Oil from Western Canada needs better access to new markets
Toured Irving Oil refinery in Saint John, N.B., before promoting proposal to city’s board of trade
Comments come on heels of new rules placing strict limits on acceptability of foreign influence
Projects financed by fund will mainly involve private industry
Agrees to share information on extraction of oil from shale, offshore projects and renewable energy.
Environmental assessment rules overhaul praised by industry, criticized by environmental groups.
