CALGARY — Prime Minister Mark Carney has denied that working with Premier Danielle Smith’s government on the Pacific Link pipeline was intended as a political move to neutralize the independence movement in Alberta.In an interview with Global News on Thursday, Carney rejected the notion that the proposed one-million-barrel-per-day crude oil pipeline from Alberta to the BC coast was a political concession aimed at keeping Alberta in Canada.“Not at all," Carney said when asked if the pipeline was strictly a political move. "In my view, this is a tremendous opportunity. It's good for Canada because it makes us more independent. It diversifies the destination of our exports — Asian markets, that'll raise prices here, but it also makes us more independent.”His comments come two weeks after he announced Ottawa would be designating Pacific Link as a project in the national interest at a joint press conference with Smith in Fort McMurray on October 1.That designation came less than three weeks ahead of the October 19 referendum and many critics on the pro-independence side have argued that the pipeline was a carrot being dangled by Ottawa to dampen support for leaving Canada.The roughly 1,250-kilometre project would connect Bruderheim, Alberta, to a proposed marine terminal near Delta, British Columbia..Suzuki says Smith has Carney ‘by the ass’ over Pacific Link pipeline.The federal and Alberta governments have agreed to share ownership of the project equally, with indigenous communities to be offered a minimum 10% ownership interest.Development will be led by the federally owned Trans Mountain Corporation, with Pembina Pipeline Corporation participating as a private-sector investor and providing technical expertise.The federal government estimates the project could generate more than $20 billion in annual economic activity and over $100 billion in government revenue by 2060.“It's good for British Columbia, it helps to build out the port there,” Carney said.“It's good for indigenous peoples if done properly with First Nations as true partners in the pipeline. It's also good for the future of Alberta industry and the long-term competitiveness of the oil sands.”Ottawa’s current timeline calls for the federal Major Projects Office (MPO) to finalize the project’s conditions by September 1, 2027, with construction potentially set to begin soon after.In the wake of the trade war with the United States, Carney has repeatedly stated that his government wishes to diversify away from the American market, which currently receives approximately 90% of Alberta’s oil exports.“All of that is gonna make Alberta crude more competitive for decades to come,” he said.“So it's win, win, win. It shows that Canada is working, and we're just getting started.”
