Quebec should use oil from Alberta, not the U.S., Carney says
Liberal leader says there is no contradiction between his positions on reducing emissions and building pipelines
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Mark Carney says he wants Quebecers to use oil from Alberta rather than the United States — but a new pipeline would require Quebec’s blessing.
“Quebec uses 350,000 on average barrels of oil a day, 70 per cent of which comes from the U.S.,” the Liberal leader told a press conference in Victoria, B.C. on Monday.
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“There is a big advantage to Canada to push that out, use our own oil, use the resources from that for other things, including protecting our environments (and) our social programs.”
However, “we will only do that in the case where we have the support of First Nations (and) we have the support of all the provinces, obviously including Quebec in the example that I gave.”
As for environmental assessments, which critics say have dragged on and derailed previous pipeline proposals, Carney said only one review would be required if he is elected prime minister on April 28.
“Yes, we are open to having one project, one review, to speed these projects of national interest, but that’s because we have confidence in the environmental standards in this case of the province of Quebec.”
Carney made the comments in response to reporters’ questions as he unveiled a plan to “protect Canada’s nature, biodiversity and water.” He promised to create new national parks and invest more to protect the environment.
The Liberal leader, a former United Nations Special Envoy on Climate Action and Finance, said there is no contradiction between his positions on reducing greenhouse gas emissions and building pipelines.
“As a government, we have to do several things at the same time,’ he said.
Quebec has previously rejected projects that would have transported western Canadian oil and gas across the province.
Today, amid continuing trade tensions with the U.S., polls suggest growing support across Canada, including Quebec, for energy pipelines.
Premier François Legault has said Quebec would consider new oil and gas projects.
“For the moment, no projects have been tabled, they do not exist. If these projects are filed, we will look at them,” but Quebecers “must agree,” Legault said in February.
“Let’s remember the projects that we had on the table at the time, they crossed a lot of rivers in Quebec and it wasn’t ideal.”
Bloc Québécois Leader Yves-François Blanchet has said he strongly opposes “any plans to turn Quebec into a highway for dirty oil and gas from the West.”
He noted the shelved Energy East oil pipeline’s route — which would have passed through about 830 waterways in Quebec, including the St. Lawrence River — would pose too high a risk for the environment and drinking water.
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre has said he would “repeal anti-energy laws,” build pipelines to the Atlantic and Pacific oceans and approve liquefied natural gas projects.
“I am convinced that we can secure social acceptability” in Quebec, Poilievre said in Saguenay in March.
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