Grande Prairie—Mackenzie MP Chris Warkentin says the cancellation of the Keystone XL pipeline expansion permit by U.S President Joe Biden is a direct result of the deep partisan political divide south of the border. After only a few hours in office Wednesday, Biden signed an executive order to revoke the permit that would have allowed the expansion project to proceed across the border.
Warkentin notes there have been billions of dollars invested on both the Canadian and American side of the project thus far, and losing all the economic benefits, including jobs attached to construction, is unfathomable.
“It’s a project that currently exists; it’s not in the planning stage, it’s not in the development stage. The connection across the border exists, it’s been built, and the money has been invested.”
“Now, the decision by an incoming president to cancel the export permit really is a slap in the face of a relationship that really should be greater than politics,” he adds.
Warkentin is urging Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to take note of the suggestions laid out by Alberta Premier Jason Kenney. Hours after the decision was made, he called on the federal government to impose meaningful trade and economic sanctions if the U.S. won’t sit down and discuss the issue further.
“I believe that our prime minister should be considering sanctions… because Canadians invested in a project with the full permission from the American government to proceed.”
“I would hope that the new president would reconsider, and consider the importance of bringing Americans together, and also the importance of the relationship between Canada and the United States,” he adds.
The White House has confirmed Biden’s first foreign call will be to Trudeau on Friday.