Calgary Liberal MP Corey Hogan says he will vote against a Conservative opposition motion calling on the federal government to support the construction of a new bitumen export pipeline to the West Coast, arguing the proposal undermines ongoing negotiations and risks deepening division.The non-binding motion, expected to be debated and voted on Tuesday, urges the House of Commons to endorse the development of “one or more pipelines enabling the export of at least one million barrels a day of low-emission Alberta bitumen from a strategic deep-water port on the British Columbia coast to Asia markets,” and calls for changes to the Oil Tanker Moratorium Act while respecting indigenous consultation.Its language echoes portions of the memorandum of understanding signed in November between Ottawa and Alberta outlining conditions for future Pacific pipeline projects..However, federal officials note the motion omits key components of that agreement, including industrial carbon pricing, Indigenous co-ownership opportunities, and formal engagement with British Columbia.Hogan, who represents a Calgary riding at the heart of Alberta’s energy sector, said supporting the motion would send the wrong signal while negotiations under the MOU are still underway.Speaking with reporters on Parliament Hill Monday, Hogan called it “a motion that’s designed to provoke and to divide,” adding that a forced yes-or-no vote could jeopardize progress toward a viable pipeline plan..“A yes or no vote makes the pipeline less likely,” he said. “If it’s a yes vote, it might look like we don’t take seriously our requirement to consult with B.C. First Nations and if it’s a no vote, it might look like we’re not serious about the pipeline.”“It is an abject failure of duty and responsibility for an MP from Calgary, whose constituents are employed in the energy sector, to suggest he might vote against a pipeline," Calgary-Nose Hill MP Michelle Rempel garner said in a statement."“The Liberals have done everything possible to destabilize and destroy the energy sector in Alberta for the last ten years. They continue their legacy of failure, allowing their Parliamentary Secretary for Energy, a Calgary MP, to justify voting against the best interests of Albertans and all Canadians. The motion includes the literal words in the Prime Minister’s MOU. Hogan’s words will destabilize the sector even more. "A senior government source told CTV News the Liberal caucus is expected to vote against the motion, arguing it “ignores critical elements” of the MOU such as carbon pricing commitments and the Pathways carbon capture project, which Alberta has agreed to advance.The source also pointed to ongoing tensions between Canada and the United States, saying the Conservatives are “demonstrating their intent to divide Canadians and inability to get big things built.”.Prime Minister Mark Carney has said any new pipeline to the Pacific would require a private-sector proponent and broad support from affected Indigenous communities.Alberta, in exchange for federal "commitments", has agreed to negotiate an industrial carbon price floor of $130 per tonne by April 2026.The House vote will serve as a symbolic test of political positioning on energy development as federal and provincial negotiations continue.
