Former Alberta trade representative warns pipeline isn’t dead yet
Posted Nov 6, 2015 11:47 am.
Last Updated Nov 6, 2015 12:31 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Rob Merrifield says he was disappointed by the rejection of the Keystone XL pipeline Friday, but not surprised, and calls it an example of bad politics, a wedge issue between Democrats and Republicans.
The former Alberta trade representative to the United States and Member of Parliament for Yellowhead (2000-2014) says they had given up on the Obama administration two years ago and had been hoping for Congress to reach a decision.
“It’s clear it’s even Congress or a new administration that will approve Keystone in the long run,” he told 660 NEWS.
“I think he’s preparing the ground for Paris talks and it goes into the storyline of what he’s going to do on the environment of which I don’t necessarily argue, environment is very important and we have to do eveything we can but to just pull out one pipeline is disingenuous.”
According to Merrifield, when the heaviest crude comes from California and the Venezuela crude has higher greenhouse gases than that from the province of Alberta, the argument doens’t play out.
“It’s unfortunate for TransCanada, they’re a great company that shouldn’t be treated that way,” he said.
The long-time politician says the real benefit would have been in energy security, allowing North America not to have to rely on Venezuela or Saudi oil.
