Premier Jason Kenney isn’t mincing words when it comes to his displeasure over the rescinded Keystone XL pipeline permit. After only a few hours in office, U.S. President Joe Biden signed an executive order to revoke the permit that would have allowed the expansion project to proceed across the border.
Kenney says it’s a “gut punch” for the national and provincial economies and an insult directed at the most important ally and trading partner of the United States on day one.
“The leader of our closest ally retroactively vetoed approval for a pipeline that already exists and which is co-owned by a Canadian government, directly attacking by far, the largest part of the Canada-US trade relationship which is our energy industry and exports.”
Kenney is calling on Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to ask the Biden administration to sit down and discuss this decision, saying this is “the least” the U.S. owes Canada. He also says Canada must impose meaningful trade and economic sanctions if the U.S. won’t sit down and discuss the issue further.
The PM also issued a statement on the Keystone XL decision late Wednesday afternoon, saying that while he welcomes Biden’s commitment to fight climate change, the country is disappointed in the decision.
“I spoke directly with President Biden about the project last November, and Ambassador Hillman and others in our government made the case to high-level officials in the incoming administration.”
“Workers in Alberta, Saskatchewan, and across Canada will always have our support,” he adds. “Canada is the single-largest supplier of energy to the United States, contributing to U.S. energy security and economic competitiveness, and supporting thousands of jobs on both sides of the border.”
The White House has confirmed Biden’s first foreign call will be to Trudeau on Friday.