Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre on Thursday morning expressed his readiness to build LNG pipelines in Quebec, and said he believes he has the public’s support.
As Canada prepares for 25% tariffs on oil and gas imposed by the US to go into effect the first week of April, the Conservatives are accelerating federal energy infrastructure projects to secure Canada’s “self-sustainability and sovereignty.”
Poilievre, speaking at a press conference in Jonquière, QC, announced a “shovel-ready” approach to construction that would pre-approve permits so developers can launch projects knowing they won’t have to “spend millions or billions” on red tape and court applications.
A reporter pointed out a previous LNG project in Quebec that was rejected “because there was no public acceptability,” and asked what would be different this time around.
“The ‘status quo’ has no social acceptability either,” Poilievre replied, pointing to the US and Russia.
“The status quo where we're selling 100% of our natural gas to the United States to help Donald Trump has no social acceptability either. The status quo with Putin monopolizing the European market to fund his war machine has no social acceptability either.”
“Nobody consulted Quebec to see whether there was social acceptability for that.”
Poilievre said according to polls, 76% of Quebecers are in favor of pipelines and LNG Quebec, and argued a Quebec LNG plant could be the “cleanest in the world” — it could maybe “even be carbon neutral.”
“It will be driven by zero-emission hydroelectricity — and also it's cold here, so it takes less energy to cool and liquefy,” said Poilievre.
“And second, it's a shorter distance to Europe from here compared to the Gulf of Mexico, where American natural gas comes from.”
“So we can do that, maybe carbon neutrally.”
Poilievre will be meeting with Quebec Premier François Legault and other provincial leaders, as well as the National Assembly, to discuss the idea.
Parliament is scheduled to reconvene after a seven-week prorogation initiated by former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Monday.
Prime Minister Mark Carney is expected to call an election on Sunday.
