Conservative MP Andrew Scheer is calling on the federal government to remove restrictions on Canada’s energy sector and commit to new pipeline projects, saying the country must act quickly to secure its economic and energy future.Speaking to reporters, Scheer welcomed renewed discussion about the Keystone XL pipeline under U.S. President Donald Trump but argued that the project on its own will not address what he described as systemic problems created by Liberal energy policy.Scheer said it was “no surprise” that Trump continues to support Keystone XL. He argued that Canada should not offer concessions in exchange for its approval, since Trump has already made clear he wants the project. .“Donald Trump has already signaled he supports Keystone,” Scheer said, noting that Trump signed an executive order approving the pipeline in 2017 during his first term."If Mark Carney is offering something up to Donald Trump in exchange for Keystone, then Mark Carney is the worst negotiator in the world, because Donald Trump has already signaled that he wants it. You don’t have to give something up in order to get something from someone who has already said they are going to do it.”Scheer accused the Liberal government of failing to defend Keystone when it was first threatened, saying Canada lost valuable leverage by not pressing harder in earlier negotiations..“It was Liberal inaction that allowed a previous president to kill Keystone XL,” Scheer said. He added that Liberal-aligned figures such as Carney supported Trudeau’s decisions to cancel or block other pipeline projects at home.Turning to domestic policy, Scheer argued that Ottawa’s restrictions pose a greater threat to Canada’s energy future than any single cross-border deal. He criticized the Liberal government’s production cap on oil and gas and its shipping ban on the West Coast, saying both measures discourage investment and block access to global markets. “It doesn’t matter if you can build a pipeline if you can’t put anything through it,” he said.Scheer pointed to recent examples of Canadian energy firms directing money into American projects rather than Canadian ones. He noted that TransCanada Energy announced $8.5 billion in new projects in the U.S., which he said represents lost jobs and lost royalties in Canada..“Before Justin Trudeau and the Liberals came to power, investors built pipelines. It’s only been since the Liberals have been in power that taxpayers have had to subsidize them. Now we are seeing Canadian investment dollars leaving and creating jobs in the U.S. economy. That is a terrible indictment of Liberal policies.”Scheer repeated Conservative calls for a West-to-East pipeline to supply eastern refineries with Canadian oil and reduce reliance on foreign imports.He also endorsed a pipeline to the West Coast to reach Asian markets, arguing that those projects are essential to achieving Canadian energy independence. “Countries in Asia are pleading with us to sell them our energy,” he said. “None of that is solved by the current Liberal leave it in the ground approach.”.On another issue, Scheer responded to questions about new border legislation. The government was forced to revise Bill C-2 after criticism of provisions allowing federal authorities to open mail without judicial oversight. Scheer said Conservatives will review the latest version carefully but argued the government’s handling of the file has undermined confidence in its approach.“It is pretty embarrassing for this public safety minister,” Scheer said. “This was their signature response to U.S. requests to improve the border. And they got it so wrong, so badly right off the bat, that the minister had to use a mulligan and a do-over.”Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre had already demanded that the controversial provisions be removed. Scheer said his party will continue to scrutinize the updated bill before deciding whether to support it.
