Poilievre argues Carney has ‘wasted an entire year’ on possible Alberta pipeline
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Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre says the prime minister has “wasted an entire year” deliberating a potential new oil pipeline out of Alberta — criticism that comes after Mark Carney said a new pipeline is “more probable than possible.”
“He’s been prime minister for a year and he still hasn’t even made up his mind whether he supports a pipeline,” Poilievre told reporters at a news conference in Toronto on Sunday morning. “He’s wasted an entire year.”
In an interview with The Canadian Press, Carney said due to rising global energy demands due to the Iran war, and Canada’s need to diversify to Asian markets, a new pipeline is “more probable than possible.”
“It’s all part of a bigger package. We’re making progress on that bigger package,” Carney said, referring to the memorandum of understanding his government signed with Alberta late last year.
In addition to its commitment on a pipeline, Ottawa also agreed to suspend the proposed federal oil and gas emissions cap, as well as Alberta’s requirements under federal clean electricity regulations (CER).
Alberta has committed to act as a proponent for the development of a pipeline to Asian markets — which would include opportunities for Indigenous co-ownership — and push ahead on a major carbon capture and storage project.
Poilievre said the “one thing” that needs to happen is for the prime minister to “get out of the way” by ditching the industrial carbon tax and the B.C. oil tanker ban.
“[A pipeline] is wildly profitable,” Poilievre said. “It doesn’t need any government handouts. It just needs a permit to go ahead.”
The Prime Minister and Danielle Smith say they’ve reached an agreement that will see Alberta take control of regulatory approvals for its major projects. Smith says it’s the first milestone the province needed to achieve under its memorandum of understanding, signed with the federal government last year.
In his Canadian Press interview, Carney also pointed to recent U.S. approval of the Bridger Pipeline expansion in discussing options for other routes.
It is considered a partial revival of the Keystone XL pipeline project that U.S. President Donald Trump initially approved in his first term, before it was later scrapped by Joe Biden.
Canada working with Alberta, says energy minister
In an interview on Rosemary Barton LiveEnergy Minister Tim Hodgson said the federal government is “supportive of the potential optimization” of the Trans Mountain Expansion Project.
The project involves the construction of a second pipeline along the route of the existing Trans Mountain pipeline, which runs from Edmonton to the Westridge Marine Terminal in Burnaby, B.C.
The federal government, under former prime minister Justin Trudeau purchased the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion for $4.5 billion in 2018 to get the project over the finish line. It would end up costing $34 billion after numerous delays and budget overruns.
Canada’s Minister of Energy Tim Hodgson was in Calgary on Friday, less than 24 hours after U.S. President Donald Trump issued a presidential permit for an oil export pipeline.
“We’re very focused on diversifying the number of countries we can trade our energy with today,” Hodgson said. “We trade almost all of our natural gas and oil with the United States. We think it’s in our interest to diversify that.”
Regarding the possibility of a new Alberta pipeline altogether, Hodgson said the federal government has been clear that the proponent must choose the route and spend the money — components of the MOU.
The energy minister added that Alberta understands their part of the agreement. The province has said it will deliver a pipeline submission to the new Major Projects Office by July 1.
When asked whether the federal government’s new sovereign wealth fund could be used to help finance a pipeline, Hodgson noted it’s a “hypothetical question,” but he said the fund could be used for transmission lines, nuclear projects, renewables and pipelines.
Leverage in U.S. trade talks
Also during his Canadian Press interview, Carney rejected the characterization of using energy or critical minerals as “leverage” in upcoming trade talks with the United States, adding that Canadians honour their agreements and contracts.
But the prime minister also suggested further integration with the U.S. in those sectors — highly coveted by the Trump administration — remains in question.
“I reject that characterization of it’s leverage. It’s looking at, is it in our mutual interest to trade more? Where is it? And if it’s not there, we have other options,” Carney said.
U.S. Ambassador to Canada Pete Hoekstra wants to get trade negotiations back up and running. He met with mold makers in Windsor last week.
Poilievre questioned what influence Carney can claim to have if energy and minerals won’t be leveraged in the trade talks.
“Of course, our energy and minerals should be positive leverage in these negotiations,” Poilievre said. “We can offer in the negotiations to build up our resources in a way that helps our continental security — that keeps both of us safe, strong and rich.”
Canada, the United States and Mexico are staring down the July 1 date to review the North American trade pact, but officials have noted it’s being viewed as a checkpoint, not a cliff.
Carney added he believes most of the trade pact will survive its upcoming renewal process.
“Much of it will be retained. Some things are going to have to change, but we’re looking to make sure they change in a way that’s in Canada’s interest,” he said.
