Due to recent developments, the deployment of Russian forces into Ukraine and other geo-political concerns regarding escalating conflict, Alberta can provide a more meaningful contribution to support Canada’s NATO and EU partners. 

Alberta does not have a direct role or mandate in Canada’s national defence, but Alberta can lay the groundwork to strengthen Canada’s defence industry, as well as becoming a larger source of supply for our NATO and EU partners.

There is a lead time to develop the required manufacturing and infrastructure and having this capacity in place will demonstrate that Alberta can anticipate potential supply chain needs.

Additionally Canada is falling behind on national security and it important for Albertan's to find the political will to respond to national security threats.

Category: 

Strategic Energy Supply

Need/Want Directive:

Whereas Alberta should be able to supply energy products to NATO and EU partners to mitigate the economic impacts of sanctions imposed on a belligerent and aggressive nation as a result of a military conflict.

Need/Want Rationale:

• Russia has just been sanctioned due to its invasion of Ukraine.  As a result, the US and UK are banning oil and gas imports from Russia.
• The EU will be slower to accommodate this initiative as the EU imports 40% of its gas and 25% of its oil from Russia.
• There is a risk that a EU energy crisis will occur if these imports cannot be replaced from other sources.

How Directive:

Be It Resolved that:

• The Alberta Party will support Four Points Energy Corridors (ie. east-west and north-south) in order to supply strategic resources to Canada’s global partners for delivery to the NATO and EU partners.

How Rationale:

• It is the right time to strengthen energy security as the political reasons for implementing a program to support Canada’s NATO and EU partners are paramount and far outweigh the concerns held by those in opposition.
• The federal government should champion and support this initiative due to our commitments in assisting our NATO and EU partners.
• This resolution marries well with our support for net-zero strategy, as energy can include hydrocarbon (including carbon sequestration infrastructure), hydrogen or electricity (from brown, blue, green and nuclear sources). 

Category: 

Defence Industrial Base

Need/Want Directive:

Whereas Alberta should expand its defensive industrial base to mitigate the lead times associated with defence procurement cycles and be able to meet the demand required of increased military spending.

Need/Want Rationale:

• Alberta currently has a small defence industry footprint.
• Alberta currently has technical talent and resources that can be supplied to the defence industry.
• An expanded defence industrial base will help in diversifying Alberta’s economy.
• Alberta is strategically located in a position that makes it difficult to attack and therefore has an increased natural security.
• Alberta’s resources have served as strategic reserves in past global conflicts.
• Currently less than 20% of defence industry employment is allocated to the west.

How Directive:

Be It Resolved that:

• The Alberta Party will partner with industry to increase our dual use (commercial and military) manufacturing capacity.

How Rationale:

• Defence manufacturing could start with supplying advanced military aircraft material such as carbon-fibre composite, Carbon-Carbon composite, carbotanium (carbon-titanium) composite materials.  This would represent a value-added vertical market evolution of the current oil & gas product supply chain.
• Defence manufacturing could evolve to partnering with aircraft manufacturers to invest in composite bonding autoclaves which could serve in supplying commercial aircraft as well as military aircraft.  Large scale composite bonding is a new industry and currently does not have a footprint in Canada.
• Dual use (commercial and military) industry examples provide economic diversity, best in class technology, opportunities for jobs, demonstrates leadership, and are needing support from government to grow.
• Development of a graphene resource from coal production would provide a value-added vertical market evolution of the current coal product supply chain leading to supplying the materials for aluminum graphene battery technology and other graphene material advancements.
• Development of manufacturing for advanced agricultural fibre materials for uses such as biocomposites, lightweight reinforced armor and bioplastics etc. would provide a value-added vertical market evolution for the current agricultural product supply chain.
• Alberta would be best served with developing a more integrated vertical market economic strategy rather than a piecemeal economic diversity strategy.

Category: 

Defending Alberta’s Economy

Need/Want Directive:

Whereas Alberta should be able to defend itself from cyber-threats on its economy.

Need/Want Rationale:

• Alberta will need to be able to defend its industry and economy from malicious cyber activity.
• Canada is falling behind on national security and Albertan's will need to respond to national security threats.

How Directive:

Be It Resolved that:

• The Alberta Party will improve Alberta’s cyber-defence capabilities to mitigate the potential escalation of cyber threats as a result of our increased involvement with NATO and EU partners.

How Rationale:

• There is a need to accelerate Alberta’s cyber-defence infrastructure to prevent malicious disruption of Alberta’s economy.