Alberta premier heads to Montreal and Washington, D.C. to talk business and pipelines

The statement says Kenney will meet with business leaders in Montreal and do media interviews. (File photo: Jason Kenney/Facebook)

EDMONTON — Alberta Premier Jason Kenney will travel to Montreal and Washington, D.C., this week.

A statement from Kenney’s office says the trip, which starts Monday and continues until next Sunday, will promote the government’s work to drive investment, expand Alberta exports and get pipelines built.

The statement says Kenney will meet with business leaders in Montreal and do media interviews.

In Washington, he’s set to attend National Governors Association meetings along with Ontario Premier Doug Ford, Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe and Quebec Premier Francois Legault.

Kenney has previously taken Legault to task for opposing new pipelines while his province benefits from Alberta’s oil and gas wealth.

The statement says Kenney’s interviews will “underscore how all Canadians benefit from a thriving energy sector, and why Alberta is a preferred source of energy in both environmental and social terms.”

“Alberta’s economic future depends on new private sector investment. That’s why I have put a priority on meeting with key investors to tell them about the tremendous opportunities that exist in Alberta, and the policies that are making us one of the most competitive places for job creation in North America,” Kenney said in the statement.

“That’s what I will be doing in Montreal.”

The statement says Kenney will hold bilateral meetings with governors of U.S. states with strong ties to the Alberta economy and federal officials.

It says Kenney and Moe will deliver a joint presentation to the Wilson Center Canada Institute, a U.S. global policy forum. He’ll also meet with the United States Chamber of Commerce, the American Petroleum Institute, the American Enterprise Institute, and the School of Advanced International Studies.

“I will be discussing the future of NAFTA and the construction of pipelines, like Line 3 and Keystone XL, while in the U.S. capital,” Kenney said in the statement.

Ford, meanwhile, has said he will be unveiling Ontario’s new trade strategy with the United States in a bid to get around “Buy American” policies.

The statement from Kenney’s office says three political staff will support the Premier’s mission at a total estimated cost of $32,000.