Canada’s reported growing need of a pipeline connecting Alberta’s oil and gas sector to its East Coast amidst U.S. President Donald Trump’s threat to launch a trade war was highlighted by the Industry Minister François-Philippe Champagne.
“Things have changed … you cannot be in the past…You need to look forward to the future… we need pipelines that go East-West.,” Champagne reportedly said
Officials from different levels of government, and across the aisle are unified in their comments on the need for Canada to break down long standing internal trade barriers and diversity its energy export markets.
Trump’s accusation of Canada and Mexico of being “unfair” to the U.S. on trade, signalling Americans “don’t need the products (Canada and Mexico) have.”
In Spite of Quebec opposition of The Energy East project Champagne — who represents a riding in the province — said he believes Quebecers have realized “the rules of the game have changed over the last few days.”
“We cannot be dependent,” Champagne said. “We have these natural resources. We need to be able to export to markets. And you know what? I think people understand better now, the nexus between energy security, economic security, and I would even say national security.”
The provincial government in Quebec, meanwhile, siad it could be open to reviving a liquefied natural gas project that was cancelled four years ago.
