Quebec backs Alberta's national energy strategy: Charest

QUEBEC — Quebec is ready to back a Canadian energy strategy, Premier Jean Charest said Wednesday after a meeting with Alberta Premier Alison Redford.

Redford has been pushing for such an initiative — which would involve heightened co-operation among provinces to develop new markets — since taking office last fall.

"It makes eminent sense," Charest told reporters after an hour-long meeting with Redford.

"We believe that there should be co-operation among the provinces on the issue of energy and that it's the right thing to do," he added.

The Quebec premier stressed there is one condition for that strategy to be successful: the respect of provincial jurisdictions.

"The fact that jurisdiction is provincial shouldn't preclude us from co-operating," Redford told reporters. "I'm asking provinces to decide if we would like to take this further and if so, what that looks like."

Charest said his province already has struck energy deals with other provinces, notably Ontario. In 2009, Hydro-Quebec inaugurated a 1,200-megawatt interconnection line between Quebec and Ontario.

"That is what we are doing. We don't need the federal government to make that happen. We have demonstrated in our acts, not just our words, that we are well able to do that," Charest said, noting that if the federal government wants to play a role in that energy strategy it should be at the provinces' demand.

British Columbia and Saskatchewan are also backing Alberta's energy strategy, which would see provinces working together to develop resources.

Redford said the issue is not on the official agenda of the Council of the Federation meeting in Victoria, B.C. next week.

Federal health-care transfers will be at the heart of negotiations at the premiers' meeting and Charest and Redford raised the issue Wednesday.

"We need to look at all the transfers, not just health-care transfers," Charest said.

"We would not want to be in a situation where there's an increase in an area and a decrease in another, where the net outcome is negative," Charest said.

Redford stressed she doesn't expect a conclusion to be reached at next week's meeting.

"But it is important that we are able to set the agenda together," she said.

The two premiers also agreed to negotiate a broad a co-operation deal on the economy, the environment and institutional co-operation, including culture.

"We want this relationship now to move to a new level. I have been very impressed by Alison's views on the role that Alberta wants to play nationally on issues like energy and economic development for the country," Charest said.