The Globe and Mail reports in its Tuesday edition that in March, Strathcona executive chairman Adam Waterous and not-quite-prime-minister Mark Carney met face-to-face in Edmonton. The Globe's Andrew Willis writes that Mr. Waterous clearly liked what he heard. Last Thursday, Strathcona launched a $5.93-billion hostile takeover bid for neighbouring oil sands producer MEG Energy. Mr. Waterous, an experienced acquisition player, would only attempt such a move if he believed Alberta's energy future is brighter than its present. This deal represents a vote of confidence in Mr. Carney and the newly elected federal Liberals' evolving energy policies. There is a touch of political irony in this sentiment, as Mr. Waterous joined numerous chief executive officers in signing an election ad backing the federal Conservatives. The MEG takeover is also an endorsement of the signature infrastructure project during Justin Trudeau's much-maligned regime: the expansion of the Trans Mountain pipeline. That is a Canadian-taxpayer investment in Alberta that Premier Danielle Smith conveniently seems to forget when she complains about the province's treatment within federation. Strathcona's offer for MEG will probably kick off a bidding war.