The Petroleum Services Association of Canada (PSAC) travelled to Ottawa this week to deliver a message to parliamentarians of the need for a Canadian “brand for energy” that includes oil and gas in order to optimize the social and economic benefits of our vast natural resources for all Canadians.

PSAC highlighted the fact that the oil and gas services sector supports over 640,000 well-paying jobs across Canada from coast-to-coast, mostly middle-class, and includes manufacturing in Ontario and Quebec.

“We need a Canadian energy brand that speaks to our robust regulatory regime, our progress on protecting the environment, improving efficiency and reducing our GHG emissions through innovation and technology development so that Canadians can be proud of their energy industry and support access to tide water for exports, ” said Mark Salkeld, president and CEO of PSAC.

Recognizing that as global energy demand grows with population growth and the rise of the middle-class in developing countries, all types of energy will be needed, PSAC stated.

“Oil and natural gas will continue to part of the energy mix for decades,” added Scott Van Vliet, chair of PSAC, and CEO and founder of Environmental Refuelling Systems Inc. “Canada has the opportunity to replace higher intensity sources of energy with its clean natural gas and also stop carbon leakage by supplying our responsibly-developed oil and natural gas at home to displace supply from foreign sources with no price on carbon, higher GHG intensity, and lower standards of health, safety and environmental protection. Supplying the world with Canadian energy would help reduce global GHG emissions. The world needs more Canada.”

Alberta Premier Rachel Notley, also in Ottawa this week to speak at an Economic Club luncheon, was introduced by PSAC board member Tenaris Global Services (Canada) Inc., a steel pipe producer and service provider with manufacturing facilities in Ontario and Alberta, whose operations reinforce the fact that the oil and gas industry has a national supply chain across the country, PSAC stated.

Notley encouraged other eastern Canadian manufacturers to emphasize that pipelines are in the national interest.

“PSAC gives kudos to Premier Notley for her cross-country speaking tour, helping to raise awareness of the benefits of this vital industry to all Canadians, the need for pipelines to tidewater, and the costs of lost opportunity if we do not recognize the opportunity before us,” said Salkeld, who is pleased that the premier and industry are aligned in messaging. “We hope that the federal government will also help raise awareness of the benefits and the high-tech nature of present day industry that continues to reduce our GHG emissions and environmental footprint.”