During a keynote address to the Toronto Region Board of Trade, Greg Ebel, the President & Chief Executive Officer of Enbridge Inc. (Enbridge or the Company) (TSX: ENB) (NYSE: ENB), urged Canada to step up and lead the world in reducing global emissions, alleviating energy poverty, and supporting the advancement of Indigenous communities in the country. Ebel believes that Canada has historically played an important role on the world stage, from its heroic efforts during world wars to its opposition to apartheid. Now, Canada faces another pivotal moment in history: climate change. Ebel argues that Canada can demonstrate leadership in this area by embracing natural gas.
“The world recognizes the value of Canada’s vast natural resources and the impact those resources can have for energy security, reliability – and importantly – reducing global emissions,” said Ebel. “Our goal as individuals, as a nation, and as a global community must be to reduce emissions across our planet as a whole. And LNG (liquified natural gas) helps get us there.”
Ebel has requested that the government support the sustainable production of natural gas and remove obstacles to responsible LNG development. He has urged governments to establish an environment that encourages investment in LNG exports, which would aid countries worldwide in transitioning from coal-based power generation to the more eco-friendly alternative of natural gas.
“As a country, we have punched above our weight in the past. We’ve done it on an economic level – with the creation of the G20 and our leadership in the face of financial crises. We’ve done it on a global level – from our heroic efforts in world wars to Prime Ministers Pearson and Mulroney defining a role for international peacekeeping and fighting the scourge of apartheid. We’ve never been afraid to look beyond our borders to make a positive difference,” said Ebel.
“We can still be a global leader, a role model for responsible energy production, and a positive force in creating a better future across Canada and throughout the world. We can, yet again as a country, answer the call and make a historical contribution to the world’s progress. It’s time for our leaders in government and industry to rise to the challenge,” said Ebel.
Ebel emphasized the importance of a national Indigenous loan-guarantee program, giving Indigenous communities a chance to benefit from Canada’s natural resources.
“Many Indigenous groups have natural resources that they want to develop. They want to build a better future for themselves – and for the generations to come. The energy industry has an opportunity – in fact, I would argue it has an obligation – to help them become full economic partners,” he said.
