Carney Promises 'Energy Sovereignty,' Which Aides Clarify Is Different From The Last Six Words For It
Prime Minister Mark Carney spent Sunday explaining Canada's new commitment to "energy sovereignty," a phrase his office insists is meaningfully distinct from energy security, energy independence, energy autonomy, and the 2012 Harper-era favourite, "responsible resource development."
Pressed on what sovereignty specifically entails, Carney gestured toward a map of Canada, paused meaningfully, and said the word "pipelines" in a tone that could be interpreted three different ways depending on the reporter's home province.
In Calgary, oil executives heard "more pipelines." In Montreal, Bloc MPs heard "pipelines, over our dead bodies." In Vancouver, someone heard "grey whales" and left the room to cry, which, given a separate CBC story about warming waters killing grey whales along the Pacific coast, was arguably the most on-brand response of the afternoon.
Meanwhile in Calgary, two competing Stampede breakfasts offered voters a choice between two visions of Alberta: one where the province leads Canada into a prosperous energy future, and one where the province leaves Canada and does the same thing but with a different flag on the pancake flipper. Both breakfasts served identical pancakes.
Carney's team declined to define energy sovereignty in writing, noting that any specific definition would immediately become the thing half the country was angry about. A senior official, speaking on background, said the term was chosen because focus groups found it "sounded firm without committing to anything," which is also the working motto embroidered on the PMO throw pillows.