Canada's Pipelines - It's All About Politics and Greed

Whispering in the Wind (WITW 107) February 3, 2016

The pipeline debate in Canada has become a ruse – where a number of so-called stakeholders and politicians are out to deceive and confuse the general public on an issue that is of paramount importance to the country and Alberta.  And, the way events are unfolding, Prime Minister Trudeau is in the middle of a number of political challenges which are inconsistent with his “consensus building” management style and his “sunny ways” demeanor.  In the meantime provinces like Alberta, Saskatchewan, Newfoundland and Labrador are struggling with major economic issues – said another way, Canada is in serious difficulty if it can’t find a way to move its oil resources to markets.

Current Pipeline Proposals

While there are at least 4 major pipeline proposals in the mix, two seem to have been politically rejected (for the present) – Justin Trudeau promised that if he was to be elected prime minister, the Northern Gateway pipeline to Kitimat would not happen – in his mind, it threatens “British Columbia costal economy” – Barack Obama rejected the Keystone pipeline proposal claiming that it would move Alberta’s “dirty oil” into the United States.  Two other proposals are still under discussion – the Kinder Morgan pipeline proposal, (an expansion of an existing pipeline facility going to Vancouver), is fraught with five conditions voiced by the province of British Columbia’s premier, including a need for a piece of the action to offset environmental risks – the Energy East pipeline proposal from Alberta to Canada’s largest refinery in New Brunswick is also fraught with difficulty.  Objections and concerns are being voiced by Quebec’s aboriginal and municipal leaders and when all is said and done, it is all about economic benefit for the so-called stakeholders?

The Pipeline Issue

With many elections to come and over the course of time, any one (if not all) of the four pipelines is possible – if not all of them – and it will have little to do with the environmental issues.  The environmental concerns are easily addressed by having effective, in-place technologies; science based regulations and a monitoring system that is unclouded by politics.  The role of Mr. Trudeau’s government will be to set the environmental standards (for both the pipeline industry and the oil sands industry) and having mechanisms (like a revamped National Energy Board) in place to assure that the national environmental targets and standards are being met.  In the meantime Alberta, Saskatchewan and Newfoundland and Labrador are struggling, big time.