TORONTO — Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre said Canada could supply energy and critical resources to European allies in times of conflict, arguing that stronger Western alliances should be backed by secure supplies of oil, gas and minerals.Speaking in Berlin, Poilievre framed energy security as a strategic tool for democratic countries facing geopolitical pressure from authoritarian states.“Freedom must be fueled,” Poilievre said, arguing that the struggle between democratic nations and authoritarian regimes has shifted from military standoffs to competition over energy, minerals and supply chains..He said Russia has “weaponized energy” in Europe while China has used trade and critical minerals to gain geopolitical leverage.Poilievre said Western countries must strengthen military alliances such as NATO while also building economic and energy independence from rival states.He argued that reliable energy supplies are essential to national security.“No army moves without fuel, no industry runs without power and no home stays warm in winter without heat,” he said.Poilievre pointed to Europe’s energy crisis following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine as an example of the risks of dependence on hostile suppliers.The Conservative leader said Canada could play a major role in supplying natural gas to Europe and criticized past Canadian policy that he said slowed energy development and prevented Canada from filling Europe’s demand for liquefied natural gas (LNG).Poilievre noted that Germany rapidly built LNG import terminals after the Ukraine invasion, while Canadian projects have faced long approval timelines..He argued Canada has geographic and economic advantages, including shorter shipping routes to Europe from eastern Canada and lower costs to liquefy natural gas due to colder temperatures.According to Poilievre, Canadian natural gas currently trades at far lower prices than European gas, suggesting expanded exports could benefit both regions.Poilievre also criticized what he described as a reliance on non-binding agreements. He referenced a 2022 hydrogen agreement between Canada and Germany and said no shipments have yet occurred.“Canada doesn’t need more memorandums of understanding. It needs more gas,” he said.Poilievre said a future Conservative government would accelerate approvals for pipelines and LNG terminals, with a goal of reducing permitting times for major projects to six months.He said his government would use federal constitutional powers to ensure infrastructure projects move forward if elected.Poilievre also proposed creating a Canadian strategic reserve of energy and critical minerals that could be made available to allies during wars or other emergencies.He said Canada’s resource base could support allied nations even if the country is not a major military power.“Canada is not a military superpower,” he said. “But we are a resource powerhouse.”The proposal would include agreements with European allies to guarantee access to Canadian energy supplies during crises, he said.Poilievre described the plan as part of a broader effort to strengthen transatlantic alliances while boosting Canada’s resource sector at home.
