Article content

In the heat of the moment, Alberta’s electorate told Justin Trudeau and most of his 34 Liberal candidates that, ready or not, we didn’t want them in power.

But in the cold light of a massive Liberal majority that includes just four Alberta MPs — pending potential recounts — we must now seek a marriage of inconvenience; federal politics and provincial bedfellows being as strange as they are.

We apologize, but this video has failed to load.

tap here to see other videos from our team. Try refreshing your browser, or Editorial: Liberal government must consider Alberta's needs Back to video

So, with little hint of sheepishness we respectfully suggest the prime minister-designate apply a judicious and localized edit to the inaugural address of the late U.S. president John Fitzgerald Kennedy, who — like Trudeau — was 43 upon election in 1960.

“Ask not what we in Alberta did for you, ask what you can do for us.”

The list begins, as with so many discussions involving Alberta, in the energy sector. Alberta’s oilsands, conventional oil and gas reserves simply must reach a widening variety of markets by the safest, most financially viable means — pipelines. It’s an issue for all of Canada, really, since jobs, tax revenue and transfer payments hang in the balance.