Plus ça change…
Long viewed as a non-starter in Quebec politics, the idea of building oil and gas pipelines through La Belle Province is suddenly back on the table — thanks, in part, to US protectionism under president Donald Trump.
Quebec Premier François Legault, once a firm opponent of pipeline projects crossing provincial territory, is now signalling a shift in tone amid growing economic pressures and shifting geopolitics.
Speaking on the popular podcast Contact with commentator Stéphan Bureau, Legault has begun to frame energy corridors — once politically toxic — as a potential necessity, even a patriotic response to Trump-era trade tensions.
“There are projects like these that were unthinkable before Trump,” Legault said.
“But now, Quebecers are saying: it’s not true that Trump is going to control the oil we produce in Alberta. So can we export it to Europe through Quebec instead of being in trouble with Trump? There’s an opening. I feel that things are starting to move.”
“The United States needs Alberta's oil, but doesn't want to admit it,” Legault continued. “(Trump) imposes taxes, and threatens to stop taking our products. So, we have to be able to sell our products elsewhere.”
If Google Translate is correct, it represents a remarkable softening of Legault’s past positions on the issue.
The premier has previously insisted there was “no social acceptability” for pipelines in Quebec — a line that has largely defined the province’s stance during years of debate over oil sands development and east-west infrastructure.
But Trump’s trade brinkmanship — including tariffs and threats targeting Canadian resources — appears to have reframed the conversation. With US demands growing more unpredictable, Legault now sees an economic and strategic rationale in facilitating access to overseas markets via Quebec.
Legault admitted that Quebec finds itself in a similar position with respect to its own hydro-electricity exports.
For now, Legault maintains that any project must still meet conditions: it must be privately financed, concrete, and, crucially, gain “social acceptability” among Quebecers. But even that definition appears to be evolving.
“The key word is no longer just decarbonization,” Legault said. “What are we doing for our economy?”
In that shift lies a new political reality: climate goals remain, but economic pragmatism — and strategic sovereignty in the face of foreign trade threats — may be redefining Quebec’s energy future.