Key Takeaways:
- The Liberal government will vote against Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre’s motion for a new oil pipeline to the Pacific.
- The motion calls for MPs to back at least one pipeline that moves a million barrels of Alberta bitumen to the coast for export to Asia.
- The Liberal government insists that voting against the motion does not mean they have given up on the memorandum of understanding signed with Alberta last month.
- The Conservatives brought forward the motion to show divisions in the Liberal caucus on the issue and to force Prime Minister Mark Carney to prove his commitment to building a pipeline.
- The motion has been criticized by Liberal ministers and Indigenous leaders, who say it cherry-picks language from the MOU and ignores important aspects such as Indigenous consultation and environmental issues.
Introduction to the Pipeline Debate
The Liberal government has announced that it will vote against Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre’s motion for a new oil pipeline to the Pacific. The motion, which is non-binding, calls for MPs to back at least one pipeline that moves a million barrels of Alberta bitumen to the coast for export to Asia. Despite the government’s decision to vote against the motion, ministers insist that it does not mean they have given up on the memorandum of understanding signed with Alberta last month. The memorandum outlines a path forward for a bitumen pipeline to the coast, with the intention of having some Indigenous co-ownership and privately constructed and financed.
The Conservative Motion
The Conservatives brought forward the motion to show divisions in the Liberal caucus on the issue and to force Prime Minister Mark Carney to prove his commitment to building a pipeline. Poilievre said the motion was designed to force Carney to "put up or shut up" and prove to Canadians he’s serious about building a pipeline. However, Liberal ministers have dismissed the motion as a stunt that accomplishes nothing. Natural Resources Minister Tim Hodgson said the motion "cherry-picks" language from the MOU and ignores important aspects such as electricity interties to neighboring provinces, nuclear energy development, and a multi-billion-dollar carbon capture project.
Criticism of the Motion
The motion has been criticized by Liberal ministers and Indigenous leaders, who say it ignores important aspects such as Indigenous consultation and environmental issues. Indigenous Services Minister Mandy Gull-Masty said the motion is "an immature waste of parliamentary time" and "clearly an insult towards Indigenous peoples" because it leaves out important language in the MOU relating to First Nations, Métis, and Inuit. Liberal Alberta MP Corey Hogan also criticized the motion, saying it is designed to be a trap for the Liberals and is at the expense of the country and the national economy.
The Memorandum of Understanding
The memorandum of understanding signed between Prime Minister Mark Carney and Alberta Premier Danielle Smith outlines a path forward for a bitumen pipeline to the coast. The agreement stresses that the pipeline will be privately constructed and financed, unlike the publicly owned Trans Mountain, and the intention is to have some Indigenous co-ownership. Ottawa is prepared to designate the pipeline a project of "national interest," which triggers powers under the Building Canada Act. This designation means the pipeline, and possibly the tankers associated with transporting the oil, could be exempted from some federal laws.
The Future of the Pipeline
The future of the pipeline is uncertain, with the Conservatives saying the Liberal decision to vote against the motion leaves Canadians uncertain about the government’s commitment to a pipeline. Conservative MP Ellis Ross accused the Liberals of saying one thing in B.C. and another in Alberta, and said Canadians deserve an answer on the pipeline decision. However, Liberal ministers insist that they support the pipeline and the entire MOU, and that the motion is a cynical ploy to divide the party. The pipeline is expected to be privately constructed and financed, with the intention of having some Indigenous co-ownership, and Ottawa is prepared to designate it a project of national interest. According to Alberta officials, the intention is to get shovels in the ground on the project by 2029.