We all remember the ill-fated Transmountain Pipeline, which the
Liberals bought for $4.5 billion a!er the previous developer pulled out due
to never-ending protests and court challenges. Two years later, the project
continues to be plagued with protests and delays as well as a near-doubling
of its estimated construction costs.
"ere was, for a time, great hopes for advancement of the Keystone
XL Pipeline a!er it was approved by the previous U.S administration.
Unfortunately, one of President Biden’s #rst acts in o$ce was to cancel it.
Despite Trudeau’s cozy relationship with Biden, there is li%le evidence that
Trudeau is having much in&uence on this topic nor even that he’s making
much of an e'ort. In the two leaders’ #rst virtual state visit, o$cials familiar
with the meeting said Biden told the prime minister that he understood the
hardship the Keystone cancellation caused Canada but that he was simply
ful#lling an election promise. In other words, “tough luck, Justin.”
Much the same pa%ern has played out with the Enbridge Line 5 Pipeline
in Eastern Canada. "is pipeline, which ships oil and natural gas from
Western Canada to Ontario, has been operating safely for over half a century.
Recently, Michigan’s environmental activist governor ordered the line
closed, causing a diplomatic furor not only between Canada and the U.S.
but even among U.S. states. In response, the natural resources minister delivered
chest-thumping rhetoric that sounded almost identical to the language
the Liberals used with regards to Keystone…and we know how that
turned out.
Given the Liberals a'ection for renewable energy projects, it’s easy to
see why their e'orts to defend pipelines are failing. "ey want them to fail
and are paying only lip-service to e'orts to save them.
Airports
Although it doesn’t directly relate to construction, I would like to close by
touching on my campaign to save Regina’s airport. Like airports all over,
the Regina Airport Authority has seen its revenues drop nearly to zero during
the pandemic. Unlike other G7 countries, Canada has o'ered virtually
no sector-speci#c aid to help the nation’s air infrastructure survive. As
well, NavCanada, the agency that regulates air tra$c, appears poised to
close Regina’s air tra$c control tower. Combined, these assaults on the airport
could threaten southern Saskatchewan’s capacity for business travel
and cargo shipment, which would hurt businesses in every sector including
construction. To help with my campaign, visit saveyqr.ca.
SPECIAL MESSAGE
In the two leaders’ first virtual state visit, officials familiar with the
meeting said Biden told the prime minister that he understood the
hardship the Keystone cancellation caused Canada but that he was
simply fulfilling an election promise. In other words, “tough luck, Justin.”
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