Greg Ebel, President & Chief Executive Officer of Enbridge Inc. (Enbridge) called on Canada to show leadership to the world in lowering global emissions, reducing energy poverty and supporting the progress of Indigenous communities in the country.
In a keynote address to the Toronto Region Board of Trade, Ebel made a case for Canada to play an outsized and important role on the world stage, as it has at pivotal moments throughout history. From heroic efforts in world wars to standing up to apartheid, Ebel said Canada rose to the challenge.
Today, climate change is another such pivotal moment and Canada has an opportunity to show leadership – that opportunity is natural gas, stated Ebel.
"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 called on government to champion the sustainable production of natural gas and to reduce barriers to the responsible development of LNG. He urged governments to create the conditions for investment in LNG exports to help global nations switch from coal power generation to lower-carbon 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 also emphasized the need for a national Indigenous loan-guarantee program to ensure that Indigenous communities have a seat at the table and 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.
