BARRHEAD/WESTLOCK-Peace River-Westlock MP agrees with Alberta Premier Jason Kenney saying the federal government needs to be much more aggressive in its dealings with newly-elected U.S. President Joe Biden in fighting for the Keystone XL pipeline.
The pipeline, which would deliver hundreds of thousands of barrels of bitumen from the Alberta oilsands to refineries on the Texas gulf coast, was effectively mothballed when Biden in one of his first official acts as president, signed an order rescinding a key permit.
The cancellation not only means the loss of hundreds of jobs — upon news of the Biden's order, TC Energy laid off 1,000 construction workers — but it leaves Alberta taxpayers on the hook for $7.5 billion. The United Conservative Party (UCP) led-government invested $1.5 billion directly in the project and provided another $6 billion in loan guarantees.
When news of the project's cancellation broke, the premier implored Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to take an aggressive stance, including imposing economic trade tariffs and trade sanctions on the United States to pressure the president to reverse his decision.
"This is what happens when you get collaboration between left-wing governments — you get no pipelines," Viersen said, two days after an emergency debate in the House of Commons. "While it is great for the Liberals to say through their speeches that they were extremely disappointed about the decision, there has been zero hardball played with the Americans."
Conservative Party of Canada leader Erin O'Toole successfully lobbied Parliament for an emergency Jan. 26 debate on Keystone and Canada's COVID-19 vaccine shortage.
Viersen watched the proceedings from Alberta, noting that Question Period speakers are usually chosen from those in Ottawa and his next duty in the capital will come in about three weeks.
The prime minister publicly stated that in his first conversation with Biden he stressed the importance of the pipeline to both countries underscoring the important economic and energy security benefits of having a bilateral energy relationship. During the emergency debate, Trudeau said he has been a long-time proponent of the pipeline and the energy industry, noting when he was the leader of the then third-place party he toured Washington lobbying U.S. democrats to support the project.
Viersen said while that might be true, he isn't convinced that the prime minister is doing everything in his power to protect Canada's energy interests.
"It is not only Keystone XL that has been vetoed," he said, adding other pipelines are at risk. "[Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer] is looking to shut down [Enbridge's] Line 5 ... when you think back to the SNL Lavalin scandal the prime minister was willing to break the law to protect jobs in Quebec. Now he says there is not much the government can do because the president made up his mind."
The Enbridge Line 5 is a pipeline which carries oil and liquids used in propane, including gasoline, from Western Canada to refineries in the U.S. and Ontario. Ontario’s minister of energy, northern development and mines Greg Rickford stated that if the line is shuttered it would put 5,000 jobs at risk.
Viersen said the government has several tools in its toolbox starting with several treaties that "ensure the flow of oil and gas through pipelines across the border continues".
"Some of those treaties were signed by Justin Trudeau's father," he said. "So we are looking at the government to use some of those levers."
Viersen also said the government also has the option of imposing various economic sanctions on the U.S., but that is not something he is necessarily in favour of.
"Ideologically I am not predisposed to the idea of tariffs, but they can be effective as a short term solution and I wouldn't rule them out. I'm not going to dictate to Justin Trudeau what tools he should use ... what we are saying is he needs to use the tool that is required, whatever that might be," he said.
"I would like to see Mr Trudeau stand up for jobs in Alberta as he would in other parts or sectors of the country. If this was the auto industry, he would be going apoplectic ... I often disagree with him on how he does something, but he always defends those jobs, but this time it is in the oil patch in Alberta and he just rolls over, that is the frustration."
A day after our interview with Viersen, during a Standing Committee on Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee, he introduced a motion to study the cancellation of Keystone XL and potential closure of Line 5. Debate on the motion will begin Feb. 2. (Update: the motion has since been defeated).
“I know that this is something that is very pertinent to the fourteen First Nation communities in my area, many of them who work in the oil patch and who are very much concerned about where the job is. They have been in a tedious employment situation for the past five years and now with the news around the Keystone XL pipeline and the potential around the Line 5, they are looking forward to having this committee do a study on this,” he stated.
Vaccine frustration
Viersen and the CPC are also frustrated how the Liberal government has handled the procurement of vaccines, saying they have bungled the file from the start.
Although the government may have secured millions of doses from multiple vaccine companies, Viersen said that commitment is little comfort for those waiting for vaccinations.
"The Liberals have been trumpeting that vaccine as the cure-all solution, which I am sceptical about, but they certainly don't act like it. If they truly believe the vaccine is the way out of this, they would be moving heaven and earth to get it to Canada," Viersen said. "Many companies are producing vaccines but Canada is last on the list when it comes to delivery."
He also said he was frustrated with the lack of progress of COVID-19 rapid testing kits.
"They are the ones in charge of approvals and they have not been able to get them approved quick enough or secure contracts at the same pace as the rest of the G7," Viersen said.
