Natural Resources Minister Seamus O’Regan said the feds plan to take “whatever measures” to sustain the Enbridge Line 5 pipeline..Alberta Premier Jason Kenney has said he wants Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to do whatever he can to save the line..But on the other side of the 49th parallel, Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer cites environmental concerns as justification for cancelling the critical pipeline, which transports Alberta-based crude oil and natural gas liquids to refineries across the Midwest and Ontario. .Jason Hayes, Director of Environmental Policy to the Mackinac Center for Public Policy, doesn’t buy that line of reasoning..“The state of Michigan appears more concerned about following a Sierra Club scorecard than it is about the broad negative impacts the closure of Line 5 will have on the region,” said Hayes..Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg publicly called for the closure of Enbridge’s Line 5 pipeline, as did Interior Secretary nominee Deb Haaland at the 2018 Netroots Nation convention..“It’s time to stop all new fossil fuel infrastructure in America. No more pipelines!” Haaland said..By prioritizing the demands of progressive green pressure groups in the Democratic Party over a critical trading partner’s concerns, the President Joe Biden administration is trying to play both sides of the coin in energy issues, said Hayes..“While other pipelines exist to transport oil to the U.S. from Canada, the threatened closure of the Line 5 pipeline sends a damaging and profoundly short-sighted, but still apparent and unmistakable, signal to one of Michigan’s largest trading partners,” said Hayes..“Canadian officials, state legislators across the state of Michigan, the Governor of Ohio, building trade representatives in Canada and the U.S., and others, have also voiced their objections. The Consul General of Canada in Detroit, Joe Comartin, has noted that shuttering Line 5 will negatively impact refineries in Sarnia, Ont. and Quebec.” .Democratic senators have also said Biden is going down the wrong path..“The pipeline is essential to Sarnia-Lambton and the region at large. It is responsible for 50,000 jobs in related industries across the border — everything from refineries and downstream processors to home heating, jet fuel, and agriculture, said Marilyn Gladu, MP to Sarnia-Lambton..She pushed back against Whitmer’s claims, as environmental studies indicate alternative means of transporting crude, including trucks and railcars, are less safe than the pipeline. She showed great concern over Canada’s limited pipeline capacity, as “there aren’t enough of them (trucks and railcars) to move the same volume as the pipeline, daily”. .A shutdown would lead to fuel shortages and price increases across Ontario and Quebec, and further dependency on foreign supply to meet regional demands..“My colleagues and I are doing everything we can to prevent this from happening, and secure jobs and energy for the region,” said Gladu, who called on all Canadians to sign Petition e-3081, which demands the prime minister defend Canada’s economic interests regarding Enbridge Line 5. .She hopes the petition will pressure the prime minister to appeal to Biden to intervene and prevent Whitmer from inflicting overwhelming and catastrophic economic effects on Ontario, Quebec, Wisconsin and Ohio..With the petition set to collect its final signatures Monday, Mike Simpson, Executive Director of Operations of the Canadian Energy Centre, or the “energy war room,” says it is too early to speculate on the actions the federal government might take. .“We have asked our supporters to sign the petition and help grow it. What this shows is we need all Canadians to engage in this debate and support energy,” said Simpson..However, he argues signing the petition is but one mechanism to alleviate concerns for the country’s key economic driver. .“Canadians should talk to their neighbours and networks so that the federal government can realize supporting oil and gas is the right thing to do,” said Simpson..“Every single person uses more carbon-based products in their daily lives than they probably even realize. If you look at the covid situation, the number of plastics needed for masks and PPE etc., are all based on fossil fuels..“Decision-makers need to realize this is not an us vs them situation. It needs to be understood advocacy for the industry is not just government or industry responsibility. It is government, supporters, industry, workers, and everyday Canadians – once this is recognized, that path forward will be easier to follow..“Climate change does not stop at our borders. It is a global problem, and we believe responsibly developed Canadian oil and gas is a big part of the solution.” .Dhaliwal is the Western Standard’s Edmonton reporter.
Natural Resources Minister Seamus O’Regan said the feds plan to take “whatever measures” to sustain the Enbridge Line 5 pipeline..Alberta Premier Jason Kenney has said he wants Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to do whatever he can to save the line..But on the other side of the 49th parallel, Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer cites environmental concerns as justification for cancelling the critical pipeline, which transports Alberta-based crude oil and natural gas liquids to refineries across the Midwest and Ontario. .Jason Hayes, Director of Environmental Policy to the Mackinac Center for Public Policy, doesn’t buy that line of reasoning..“The state of Michigan appears more concerned about following a Sierra Club scorecard than it is about the broad negative impacts the closure of Line 5 will have on the region,” said Hayes..Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg publicly called for the closure of Enbridge’s Line 5 pipeline, as did Interior Secretary nominee Deb Haaland at the 2018 Netroots Nation convention..“It’s time to stop all new fossil fuel infrastructure in America. No more pipelines!” Haaland said..By prioritizing the demands of progressive green pressure groups in the Democratic Party over a critical trading partner’s concerns, the President Joe Biden administration is trying to play both sides of the coin in energy issues, said Hayes..“While other pipelines exist to transport oil to the U.S. from Canada, the threatened closure of the Line 5 pipeline sends a damaging and profoundly short-sighted, but still apparent and unmistakable, signal to one of Michigan’s largest trading partners,” said Hayes..“Canadian officials, state legislators across the state of Michigan, the Governor of Ohio, building trade representatives in Canada and the U.S., and others, have also voiced their objections. The Consul General of Canada in Detroit, Joe Comartin, has noted that shuttering Line 5 will negatively impact refineries in Sarnia, Ont. and Quebec.” .Democratic senators have also said Biden is going down the wrong path..“The pipeline is essential to Sarnia-Lambton and the region at large. It is responsible for 50,000 jobs in related industries across the border — everything from refineries and downstream processors to home heating, jet fuel, and agriculture, said Marilyn Gladu, MP to Sarnia-Lambton..She pushed back against Whitmer’s claims, as environmental studies indicate alternative means of transporting crude, including trucks and railcars, are less safe than the pipeline. She showed great concern over Canada’s limited pipeline capacity, as “there aren’t enough of them (trucks and railcars) to move the same volume as the pipeline, daily”. .A shutdown would lead to fuel shortages and price increases across Ontario and Quebec, and further dependency on foreign supply to meet regional demands..“My colleagues and I are doing everything we can to prevent this from happening, and secure jobs and energy for the region,” said Gladu, who called on all Canadians to sign Petition e-3081, which demands the prime minister defend Canada’s economic interests regarding Enbridge Line 5. .She hopes the petition will pressure the prime minister to appeal to Biden to intervene and prevent Whitmer from inflicting overwhelming and catastrophic economic effects on Ontario, Quebec, Wisconsin and Ohio..With the petition set to collect its final signatures Monday, Mike Simpson, Executive Director of Operations of the Canadian Energy Centre, or the “energy war room,” says it is too early to speculate on the actions the federal government might take. .“We have asked our supporters to sign the petition and help grow it. What this shows is we need all Canadians to engage in this debate and support energy,” said Simpson..However, he argues signing the petition is but one mechanism to alleviate concerns for the country’s key economic driver. .“Canadians should talk to their neighbours and networks so that the federal government can realize supporting oil and gas is the right thing to do,” said Simpson..“Every single person uses more carbon-based products in their daily lives than they probably even realize. If you look at the covid situation, the number of plastics needed for masks and PPE etc., are all based on fossil fuels..“Decision-makers need to realize this is not an us vs them situation. It needs to be understood advocacy for the industry is not just government or industry responsibility. It is government, supporters, industry, workers, and everyday Canadians – once this is recognized, that path forward will be easier to follow..“Climate change does not stop at our borders. It is a global problem, and we believe responsibly developed Canadian oil and gas is a big part of the solution.” .Dhaliwal is the Western Standard’s Edmonton reporter.
