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It became even more abundantly evident that something must be done to help Canada’s energy industry after oil hit negative prices on Monday.

As the requests for help mount, so do the objections from those who say they don’t want taxpayer dollars going towards helping the oil patch. They shouldn’t worry so much. The $15 billion to $30 billion of backstopped credit Premier Jason Kenney is asking for — to help the energy industry survive an unprecedented perfect storm of events — largely comes from the energy industry, to begin with.

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tap here to see other videos from our team. Try refreshing your browser, or Corbella: If Alberta's energy sector dies every Canadian will suffer — the numbers don't lie Back to video

The pure numbers of just how much Alberta has contributed to the country tell both a compelling and troubling story. If the patch dries up, this country is in serious trouble.

The Canadian Energy Centre calculates that over the past 18 years the direct contributions Canada’s energy sector made to federal and provincial revenues between 2000 and 2018, is very conservatively estimated at $360 billion — more than any other sector by a long shot.