Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s attempt to impress the World Economic Forum with a “Net Zero Power Grid” could cost Western Canada a whopping $1.7 trillion and risk over 10,000 jobs in Alberta alone.

Trudeau’s Net Zero ambition, while aimed at earning environmental accolades on the world stage, overlooks the human cost at home.

The Counter Signal’s Editor-in-Chief, Keean Bexte, encountered Climate Change Minister Steven Guilbeault after a meeting with the Alberta government. Guilbeault, known for his controversial past, faced a series of questions regarding the government’s environmental agenda.

Bexte pressed Guilbeault on his plan to replace jobs potentially lost due to the government’s environmental initiatives.

Most notably, Bexte inquired whether Guilbeault was prepared to arrest Premiers Danielle Smith and Scott Moe should they refuse to comply with the government’s directives.

In a striking contradiction to his environmental role, Guilbeault was spotted leaving the confrontation in a white, gas-guzzling SUV.

Climate Czar’s Battle with Alberta

By 2030, the Trudeau Liberals’ Emissions Reduction Plan would require a 42% reduction from 2019 levels of energy sector emissions.

Smith has told Prime Minister Justin Trudeau that phasing out the Oil and Gas industry is not going to happen — and “this is non-negotiable.” Last month, she hinted that she’ll use the Sovereignty Act if needed to stop him from interfering with Alberta’s energy transition plan.

Meanwhile, Guilbeault has hinted at criminally prosecuting Premiers who fail to comply with Trudeau’s emissions reduction policies.

On Wednesday, Alberta’s Environment Minister, Rebecca Shultz, said her initial meeting with Guilbeault went well. Going into the meeting, Shultz said she was hoping the feds choose “common sense and working with Alberta over ideology.”

But it remains to be seen whether Guilbeault will move forward with a federal mandate.

“What we said in the Emissions Reduction Plan was that the 42 per cent was not a target but it was a pathway. So we will see with the oil and gas cap — will it be exactly that, will it be something different? That’s one of the many things that remain to be defined,” he said.

Butting heads, deleting tweets

Earlier this year, Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe threw down a challenge to Guilbeault to “come get me” if he has issues with using coal for power after 2030. 

All four Atlantic province Premiers have also denounced the Trudeau Liberals’ climate agenda, saying that the timeline is too fast.

In April, the CN Tower-scaler Guilbeault deleted a tweet just hours after telling Canadians that their hunger and eviction notices are no comparison to the earth’s temperature rising by one degree in the next hundred years (or whatever).