Premier Scott Moe of Saskatchewan has signed the province on to be a member of the Governor’s Coalition on Energy Security (GCES), a group of Republican US State Governor’s founded during the Biden presidency to lobby against energy regulations, becoming the second Canadian province to do so after Danielle Smith signed Alberta up last November.
The CGES was initially launched during Joe Biden’s presidency with the aim of reducing energy regulations and opposing clean energy mandates. It was originally named the Governor’s Coalition for Energy Choice.
Saskatchewan was welcomed to the GCES by Governor Jeff Landry of Louisiana.
"It is an honor to join the Governors Coalition for Energy Security and I thank Governor Landry for the invitation," Premier Moe said in a media release on March 20.
"Saskatchewan is abundant in oil, high-grade uranium, and critical minerals, which are vital to both our local economy and North American energy security. As a stable and dependable partner, Saskatchewan plays a crucial role in securing energy resources, strengthened by the strong relationship we maintain with our neighbors to the south."
The group is now composed of:
- Premier Scott Moe — Saskatchewan
- Premier Danielle Smith — Alberta
- Governor Jeff Landry — Louisiana
- Governor Kay Ivey — Alabama
- Governor Brian P. Kemp — Georgia
- Governor Bill Lee — Tennessee
- Governor Eric J. Holcomb — Indiana
- Governor Mark Gordon — Wyoming
- Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders — Arkansas
- Governor Tate Reeves — Mississippi
- Governor J. Kevin Stitt — Oklahoma
- Governor Glenn Youngkin — Virginia
Saskatchewan exports 21 million cubic metres of oil to the United States annually.
The declared aim of the group is to “enhance and protect energy options. This will lead to lower energy costs, increased reliability, sustainable economic development and responsible management of energy resources.”
"Saskatchewan's joining demonstrates the power of the principles and vision of GCES, and the growing recognition in governments in both the U.S. and Canada that energy issues are fundamental to the economic and day-to-day wellbeing of our citizens," Gov. Landry said. "We welcome Premier Scott Moe and the talent, input and insight he will bring to help us all enhance and protect energy options, lower energy costs, and increase reliability for our people."
The Republican governors forming the group have not publicly weighed in on President Donald Trump’s rhetoric regarding Canada being an inconsequential trade partner, its only future being as the 51st state of the U.S., or that Canada has been “ripping off” the U.S.
Discover Moose Jaw News reached out to the Sask Party government to request clarification on the timing of Moe’s decision to join the GCES and how the parties involved will benefit:
- Will Saskatchewan help Republican states lobby against energy regulations?
- Will this coalition of Republican governors be influential in lobbying on behalf of Saskatchewan’s oil and gas industry?
- What do Saskatchewanians receive in return for aligning themselves with this group?
We received the following statement from the Ministry of Energy and Resources, which we have reproduced here in full:
The Governors’ Coalition for Energy Security works to ensure energy security and affordability for North America. Initially, it was an American-focused group but has expanded to include Alberta and Saskatchewan, demonstrating that provincial and state-level governments in Canada and the United States have a shared focus on reliable and affordable energy. The Government of Saskatchewan will work with the Governors’ Coalition for Energy Security to strengthen key trade relationships and highlight the importance of Saskatchewan’s role in the highly integrated United States-Canadian energy sector.
As a world leader in the sustainable production of food, fuel, fertilizer and critical minerals, Saskatchewan is crucial to North American energy security now and into the future. Saskatchewan exports over 300,000 barrels per day of oil to the United States while approximately 1 in 20 homes in the United States are powered by electricity produced with Saskatchewan uranium. As well approximately 90% of the potash the United States imports is from Saskatchewan. Membership in this coalition allows Saskatchewan to leverage a network of influential governors to promote the importance of Saskatchewan resources to citizens on both sides of the border.
Learn more at govsenergycoalition.org.