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Page added on May 17, 2013
Canadian PM: Oil going to U.S. one way or another
A controversial oil pipeline to the U.S. Gulf Coast “absolutely needs to go ahead,” Canada’s prime minister said Thursday, and he warned that the oil will be transported through America one way or another.
Stephen Harper addressed the Keystone XL project, a flashpoint in the debate over climate change, during a visit to New York City. The long-delayed project carrying oil from Canada’s tar sands would need approval from the State Department, and Harper’s remarks with the U.S. ambassador to Canada, David Jacobson, in the audience were meant to apply some pressure.
“The only real immediate environmental issue here is, do we want to increase the flow of oil from Canada by pipeline or via rail?” Harper said. He called railroad transit “far more environmentally challenging.”
Dozens of protesters from groups including the Sierra Club chanted against the pipeline as Harper arrived at the Council on Foreign Relations.
The Obama administration is considering whether to approve the pipeline, which would carry 800,000 barrels of oil a day from Alberta across six U.S. states to the Texas Gulf Coast. A decision is expected this summer.
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Thousands protest Keystone pipeline
Republicans, and business and labor groups, have urged the Obama administration to approve the pipeline as a source of much-needed jobs and a step toward North American energy independence.
Environmental groups have been pressuring President Barack Obama to reject the pipeline, saying it would carry “dirty oil” that contributes to global warming. They also worry about a spill.
Obama’s initial rejection of the pipeline last year went over badly in Canada, which relies on the U.S. for 97 percent of its energy exports.
The pipeline is critical to Canada, which needs infrastructure in place to export its growing oil sands production. The northern Alberta region has the world’s third largest oil reserves, with 170 billion barrels of proven reserves.
John Manley, a former Canadian foreign minister who is now head of the Canadian Council of Chief Executives, said if Keystone XL is rejected the relationship between the Harper government and the Obama administration would be irreparably harmed.
“It would be really hard to recover from this,” Manley said. “It would be quite a blow to the relationship.”
A lack of pipelines and a bottleneck of oil in the U.S. Midwest have reduced the price of Canadian crude, costing oil producers and the federal and Alberta governments billions in revenue.
“I think all the facts are overwhelmingly on the side of approval of this,” Harper said Thursday. He added that climate-affecting emissions from oil sands are “almost nothing globally.”
Anticipating such comments, the National Resources Defense Council on Thursday announced a new Tar Sands Reality Check campaign that it launched with other environmental groups.
“Prime Minister Harper’s appeal to the U.S. won’t change the fact that the science has shown again and again that producing tar sands oil is much more greenhouse gas intensive than conventional oil,” the NDRC’s Canada director, Danielle Droitsch, wrote in a blog post Thursday.
Keith Stewart of Greenpeace Canada added in a blog post Thursday: “Rail can’t replace pipelines, at least not anytime soon or without massive new rail infrastructure.”
Harper seemed to dismiss the environmental protesters during comments about climate change.
“It is not a matter of just getting on a street corner and just yelling and that will somehow lead to a solution,” he said.
TransCanada spokesman Shawn Howard in a statement Thursday that Harper’s advocacy “helps cut through the noise and misinformation about the project. He clearly understands the importance of this project for Canada.” TransCanada Corp. is now looking at a mid to late-2015 start-up for the pipeline project.
Harper’s wide-ranging comments also touched on Syria and Israel.
“There’s nothing more shortsighted in Western capitals in our time than the softening of support we’ve seen for Israel around the globe,” he said, calling the country “the one stable, democratic ally in this part of the world.”
On Syria, Harper urged “extraordinary caution” on the idea of arming the opposition.
“We should not fool ourselves about what’s happening in Syria,” he said, saying there is “brutality and extremism on both sides.”
“To start talking about arming unnamed people whose objectives we don’t understand, I think, is extremely risky,” Harper said.
10 Comments on "Canadian PM: Oil going to U.S. one way or another"
FoxV on Fri, 17th May 2013 2:24 pm
“Canada, which relies on the U.S. for 97 percent of its energy exports.”
This is not a good thing. Our PM is showing some serious Anti-Canadian attitudes by promoting more attachment to the US.
We have long be criticized that we are too economically tied to the US. Everyone focuses on the environmental issue, but there are some very serious sovereignty and independence issues at stake here. Oil is Canada’s last big ticket to the world political stage
Harper should start being the Prime Minister of Canada and stop being an Alberta lacky
Arthur on Fri, 17th May 2013 3:39 pm
“We have long be criticized that we are too economically tied to the US.”
There is a very good geographical reason for that. What was the alternative? Have listened to de Gaulle?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IaZFvfdietk
DC on Fri, 17th May 2013 4:03 pm
Harper is little more than a spokesman\tool for the US oil corporations. You know, the ones that actually own ‘Canadas’ oil. XL has zero to do with benefiting Canada and everything to do with US oil corporate profits. He will lose the next election, or at worst, get another minority. Whether that will stop XL is another question. The other 2 ‘main’ parties, Libs and NDP are just as corporatist and US friendly as the Cons are.
econ101 on Fri, 17th May 2013 4:44 pm
This is a perfect example of peak oil politics driving up the price of an otherwise ample and reasonably valued energy source.
Keith Stewert apparently doesnt know about the massive new rail developments now underway. The XL would provide Canadian oil with a market and export potential. As the Prime Minister says, this oil will go to American markets. We can all wait at train crossing for th 5 mile oil trains and pay twice as much to ship it or we can build the pipeline.
Plantagenet on Fri, 17th May 2013 5:10 pm
It would be stupid for Canada to export to any country but the US—–the extra transportation costs to Asia would cut into the profit Canada makes on its oil.
Newfie on Fri, 17th May 2013 9:12 pm
The government of Canada and the multinational oil companies blending together to promote their mutual interests.
“Fascism should more properly be called corporatism because it is the merger of state and corporate power.” — Benito Mussolini.
Foulstar on Fri, 17th May 2013 9:24 pm
Hello All,
I’m french,
This week I did a little trip on google earth.. I decided to fly over Alberta territory.. And Surprise!!
We can see the extension of exploitation of tar sand just 16 miles above Fort McMurray.
It’s incredible huge! When we think it’s just the beginning, what will be the area in few years? Probably the exploitation will be visible from the moon.
It’s a really nightmare.. As a paper on theoildrum has been said: Tar sands is the Oil Junkie’s Last Fix.
BillT on Sat, 18th May 2013 3:38 am
All of you Canadians better pay close attention to what is happening in that Police State to your south. The North American Union is almost a reality. It is just being accomplished below the radar. We need ALL of your natural resources as we have used up or destroyed all of ours.
Yes, I’m a US citizen, but not proud of it. We are taking over Mexico one illegal immigrant at a time. We are taking Canada one resource at a time. The “Land of the Free and the Home of the Brave” is no longer either. We have become a land of debt slaves and TV couch potatoes ruled by 1/20 of 1% of our population. So sad!
BillT on Sat, 18th May 2013 4:15 am
BTW: “Immigration: Apparent Effort to Fashion North American Union Continues”
http://www.thedailybell.com/30650/Immigration-Apparent-Effort-to-Fashion-North-American-Union-Continues
And the beat goes on…
Arthur on Sat, 18th May 2013 11:03 am
Yeah, the US, Canada and Mexico is all the NWO Washington is going to get. Or, as Eurasians like to say with Monroe (James, not Marilyn): “America for the Americans”. And if Americans smell a rat, than they are correct. 😉
Again, if you are a competent European North-American, are under fourty, have kids and a wife, not a wellfare junky, you should seriously consider relocating, just like your ancestors did. Ellis Island can work both ways.
“Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled Euro-Americans, yearning to breathe free, The wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me, I lift my lamp beside the golden door!”
http://www.thejournal.ie/pictures-ellis-island-immigrants-new-york-628721-Jan2013/