VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) – The rejection of the Keystone XL pipeline project presents an opportunity for Canada’s new prime minister. A political scientist says President Obama has opened the door for major change in Canada, if that’s the direction Justin Trudeau and the Liberals want to go.
Environmental protection is the motivation for US President Barack Obama’s decision to reject the Keystone XL pipeline project, which would’ve seen oil sands bitumen sent to Texas Gulf Coast refineries. Obama announced the TransCanada project is not in America’s best interests. “Ultimately, if we’re going to prevent large parts of this earth from becoming not only inhospitable, but uninhabitable in our lifetimes, we’re going to have to keep some fossil fuels in the ground rather than burn them.”
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau calls the decision disappointing, but he understands Obama’s right to decide.
A UBC Political scientist says this is an important moment for Trudeau. Kathryn Harrison believes this is Trudeau’s chance to show voters the kind of leader he will be and what his priorities are. She says Obama’s decision should serve as a warning to our government. “The way he framed it in terms of climate change and Canada’s dirty oil, I think sends a powerful economic signal about how vulnerable Canada’s economy is to serious actions by the US but also potentially other countries.”
Harrison says many will be watching how Trudeau handles this as an indicator of whether he’s serious about improving Canada’s environmental record. He must now decide if he will take drastic action to separate Canada’s economy from the oil sands or continue business as usual.