The Prime Minister doesn’t understand Alberta’s needs, says Ziad Aboultaif, Member of Parliament for Edmonton Manning.

“What Albertans want is to work. They need jobs,” says the Official Opposition Critic for National Revenue. ‎”For Justin Trudeau to come to Edmonton and offer more money for employment insurance misses the point, as does talk of fast-tracking future infrastructure spending.

“Where‎ is his commitment to our natural resources? Where is his commitment to helping bring our natural resources to market?

“A previous Liberal Prime Minister once asked ‘why should I sell the Canadian farmers’ wheat?’ to show his contempt for Western Canada. In almost 40 years, nothing seems to have changed in Liberal attitude. Justin Trudeau seems to be asking ‘Why should I sell Alberta oil?’”

The answer is simple. Mr. Aboultaif says. “The proposed Energy East pipeline would create jobs across the country, but especially here in Alberta. The pipeline would allow us to be energy self-sufficient, no longer having to import oil to meet eastern Canadian needs.

“Albertans expect concrete action, not empty platitudes. What we don’t need is a return to the sunny ways of previous Liberal administrations where sunshine in Ottawa was always bad for Albertans. ”

Mr. Aboultaif says Justin Trudeau’s trip to Edmonton to meet with the Premier of Alberta provided a nice photo-op for the two leaders but offered nothing substantive for Canadians in general or Albertans in particular.