Nova Scotia premier Tim Houston has called out Bloc Québécois leader Yves-François Blanchet over his refusal to even entertain the idea of allowing pipelines to run across La Belle province.
Houston accused Blanchet of putting the perceived desires of Quebec over Canada's national interest, and urged him to reconsider his position.
"As you are aware, we are in a unique time where national unity and national self-reliance is more important than ever," Houston wrote in a letter to Blanchet.
"Sectors over which provinces had previously been protectionist by creating barriers to entry are being opened in favour of free trade within our country because Canadians recognize that we must become more self-sufficient as a country."
He noted that, "against this backdrop, I was blown away by your comments around energy dependence in which you stated: 'We are fiercely opposed to any type of transport on Quebec territory of hydrocarbons from Western Canada to any market whatsoever. It does not serve Quebec.'"
"You made these comments in respect to the resurrection of an Energy East-type project wherein energy would be transported from Western Canada to Eastern Canada," Houston continued.
"I couldn't let this slide by without addressing it. Your eagerness to disparage opportunities for ALL Canadians for energy security and intentionally alienate Atlantic Canada is appalling."
He called on Blanchet to "reconsider [his] position" in the name of "national interest," adding, "It is only small minded thinking that causes Canada to be so dependent on foreign nations."
If built, an Energy East-type project could allow energy from Western Canada to bypass the United States entirely en route to the Atlantic and onwards to other markets. Amid growing tensions with the man in charge of our neighbours to the south, many have called for such a move to be made.