**Alberta Premier Smith Urges Pipeline Inclusion in National Projects** OTTAWA — Alberta Premier Danielle Smith has issued a warning to Prime Minister Mark Carney regarding her proposal for a new oil pipeline. If Carney does not include her project on his list of nation-building initiatives within the next seven weeks, Smith plans to pursue alternative routes to market, potentially focusing on the United States. "Everybody wants to be Team Canada and find new markets. But if it means, let’s all work together to get our products to market, but not Alberta’s, well, then that would be the pathway I’d have to pursue," Smith stated in a recent interview. Carney has emphasized diversifying Canada’s market access during his first six months in office. Political and business leaders have urged the government to reduce reliance on the U.S. amid ongoing trade tensions. Carney is expected to announce a new list of fast-tracked infrastructure projects by November 16. Smith's request for the inclusion of her pipeline proposal, which aims to transport oil to British Columbia’s coast, is seen as a critical test of the relationship between Alberta and Ottawa. She believes it also reflects Carney's commitment to diversifying Canada’s energy markets. "I’ve taken my colleagues seriously when they’ve said that they want new markets and they want to work together, and this is my demonstration that I believe them when they say that," Smith said. She added that if her proposal is ignored, she would explore options to collaborate with U.S. companies and the U.S. administration. Alberta is Canada’s largest crude oil producer, with most of its exports going to the U.S. However, the ongoing trade war has shifted some Canadian oil exports to China via the TransMountain pipeline. B.C. Premier David Eby has criticized Smith's proposal, calling it unrealistic and lacking private sector support. He questioned the value of Carney’s government considering the project. Opposition Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre has also criticized Carney, stating, "There’s one man who stands in the way of this pipeline getting built. It’s Mark Carney." Smith has defended her decision to allocate $14 million in provincial funds to establish a technical working group, which includes three major energy companies. She argues this is necessary due to previous failures of pipeline projects, such as Enbridge’s Northern Gateway and TC Energy’s Energy East. While Smith hopes private proponents will eventually emerge, she insists that Carney must first repeal several laws from the Trudeau era that she claims hinder development. Federal Energy Minister Tim Hodgson acknowledged Alberta's right to submit a proposal, stating that all projects will be evaluated under the same criteria. Another challenge for Alberta is Eby’s support for a tanker moratorium established by the federal government in 2019, which Smith wants lifted. An alliance of First Nations along the B.C. coast has urged the prime minister to maintain the moratorium, rejecting Smith's proposal. Smith has suggested the possibility of creating an exception for a specific port, such as Prince Rupert, but she prefers a complete repeal of the law. "If that is a no, then it means no one’s really serious about finding new markets. It means no one’s really serious about acting like a country," she said. Additionally, Smith has expressed concerns about how a rejection of her pipeline proposal might affect Albertans who feel marginalized by Ottawa. "What would it signal to that group? I take that group seriously," she remarked.