Canada's premiers gathered in Ontario this week for a first ministers meeting with Prime Minister Mark Carney. A crucial topic of discussion between the leaders was developing nation building projects like pipelines.

Issues highlighted by Alberta Premier Danielle Smith during the discussion included net-zero power regulations and Ottawa's production cap on oil and gas, concerns that push away private investors who might be looking to build in Canada.

On this Wednesday's special Buffalo Roundtable livestream, Rebel News hosts Sheila Gunn Reid and Lise Merle were joined by Kris Sims of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation and Christopher Oldcorn of the Saskatchewan Standard for a panel discussion on topics facing Western Canada.

The Liberals' policies act like a “scarecrow” that forces “investment dollars to run to safer jurisdictions like Algeria and northern Iraq,” Sheila said.

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Politicians like Carney, use the term “investment,” Kris Sims said. “And what he means by that, now as the prime minister, is you, your neighbours, your family, taxpayers being on the hook for this thing.” Federal involvement in pipeline projects was “crazy talk,” and instead should be focused on creating an environment for private industry to succeed.

Pipelines take years to develop, noted Christopher Oldcorn. By the time it's finished, Canada could be mandating electric cars “yet we want to double our oil exports at the same time.” The Carney Liberals are “sending the wrong signal” to investors with these conflicting policies, he added.

Putting Premier Smith's words more bluntly, Lise said what she really meant was for the federal government to “get the hell out of our way.” Ottawa's involvement “breeds uncertainty in investment from private industry,” she stated.

“As long as the federal government is involved, we know that there are going to be regulatory hurdles that are going to be next to impossible to jump over to get these projects underway — let alone shovels in the ground.”

The Buffalo Roundtable airs every Wednesday at 11 a.m. MT / 1 p.m. ET.