Trudeau, Ambrose united in

'disappointment' about Keystone XL

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Sonja Puzic and Josh Dehaas- Friday, November 6, 2015

A politically diverse group of Canadian leaders is expressing disappointment that U.S.
President Barack Obama has rejected the Keystone XL pipeline.
Among those who criticized the decision are Liberal Prime Minister Justin Trudeau,
Conservative interim leader Rona Ambrose, NDP Alberta Premier Rachel Notley,
Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall and Calgary Mayor Naheed Nenshi.
NDP Leader Tom Mulcair, in contrast, celebrated Obamas choice.
Trudeau said Friday morning in a statement that he is disappointed with the rejection,
but that he is looking forward to a fresh start with Obama that will strengthen ties
between the two countries.
The Canada-U.S. relationship is much bigger than any one project, Trudeau said.

We know that Canadians want a government that they can trust to protect the
environment and grow the economy. The Government of Canada will work hand-inhand with provinces, territories and like-minded countries to combat climate change,
adapt to its impacts, and create the clean jobs of tomorrow, he added.
Obama said Friday that he spoke with Trudeau and the two leaders agreed that our
close friendship on a whole range of issues -- including energy and climate change -should provide the basis for an even closer co-ordination between our countries going
forward.
'A fait accompli': Ambrose
In a statement, Ambrose expressed extreme disappointment, but also called it a fait
acompli.
Ambrose pointed out that, in her view, the rejection of Keystone will not stop
Canadian oil exports to the United States. It simply means we will continue to rely on
transportation alternatives like shipping and rail.
The interim leader later pointed out on CTV Power Playthat the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency had given its approval to the project, and the State Department had
given conditional approval, so she agreed with former prime minister Stephen Harper
that it was a no brainer.
Ambrose said that Obamas political interference had created great uncertainty for
market access that is so incredibly important for our economic viability.
Im from Alberta, Ambrose added. Fifty-thousand people have lost their jobs in less
than a year. This is tough news for Alberta, and this is tough for the energy sector.
(Obama) has been focused squarely on the Keystone XL pipeline as a symbolic
gesture to his environmental legacy and his environmental supporters, Ambrose
added, when we know that there (have) been thousands of miles of pipeline built in
the meantime.
Ambrose said that she spoke to Trudeau soon after the rejection and urged the prime

minister to please continue to advocate for Keystone XL.

The politics of Keystone continue to unfold and there may be an opportunity for the
(U.S.) senate and (U.S.) congress to still intervene, she said, so I urged (Trudeau) to
please work with me on opening up market access for our energy sector (and) he
agreed to work with me on that.
Mulcair very satisfied
NDP Leader Tom Mulcair told reporters in Vancouver that he is very satisfied that
president Obama has come to the same conclusion as us, which is that its not a good
project.
As we head into the Paris conference on climate change, it sends a strong signal that
everybodys taking these issues more seriously, Mulcair said.
Pipelines are 'low-emissions': Notley
Alberta Premier Rachel Notley echoed Ambroses comments about moving oil by
rail in her statement to reporters in Edmonton.
Pipelines are actually low-emissions ways to transport oil, she said. Rail cars are
not low-emission ways to transport oil.
We need to be able to have careful drama-free conversations about the economics of
our energy infrastructure, Notley added.
One of the ways we can help make that happen is for this government to do its part in
ensuring that our commitment to combatting climate change is real.
Pipelines 'far safer' than rail: Wall
Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall was also disappointed.
This decision is more about U.S. domestic politics than it is about good environmental
policy, Wall said in a written statement.
The fact is pipelines are safer -- far safer than other means of transporting oil, like

rail, Wall said, adding the equivalent of 10 Keystone XLs (have been) built in the U.S.
since 2010.
Wall said that the decision means Energy East, a planned pipeline project from Alberta
to New Brunswick, is even more crucial and it will be one of Saskatchewan's top
priorities as we begin our work with the new federal government.
Nenshi 'very disappointed'
Calgary Mayor Naheed Nenshi also expressed disappointment.
I am very disappointed that one pipe, nearly a metre wide, is being asked to bear all
the sins of the carbon economy, Nenshi said in a statement.
Nonetheless, Canadian energy must have access to markets, and I will continue to
partner with industry and other orders of government to advocate for other
alternatives, of which there remain many viable options.
Dion: 'Our oil is clean'
Global Affairs Minister Stephane Dion told CTV Power Play the decision is
disappointing, but also a reminder that Canada needs to invest more in our ability to
say to the United States and the rest of the world that our oil is clean and that we do
our best to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions.
Dion said he disagreed with Obamas comment that Canadas oil is dirty.
I dont think its accurate, Dion said. I dont think our oil is so much emitting more
than the other sources of emissions, but its true that we need to do more to not be
vulnerable to this kind of criticism.
The minister said his government believes in the Energy East project, but at the same
time we want to do it properly (with) strong environmental assessments.
'Absolutely committed': CEO
Despite Obamas rejection, TransCanada Corp. said it will review all of its options,
including filing a new application for a Presidential Permit.

"TransCanada and its shippers remain absolutely committed to building this important
energy infrastructure project," Russ Girling, TransCanada's president and chief
executive officer, said in a news release.
"We will review our options to potentially file a new application for border-crossing
authority to ship our customer's crude oil, and will now analyze the stated rationale for
the denial."
Girling said TransCanada continues to have the support of American and Canadian
workers, labour organizations, industry and most of all, the American and Canadian
people.
'The right decision'
Environmental Defence, a vocal opponent of the Keystone XL project, welcomed
Obamas announcement Friday.
Obamas rejection of Keystone XL demonstrates historic leadership by saying no to
new fossil fuel infrastructure, the groups climate and energy program manager, Adam
Scott, said in a statement.
For the first time, a pipeline has been rejected because it puts our climate at risk a
litmus test that the new Canadian government should adopt.
Scott said the rejection sets an important precedent just days before the climate
change summit in Paris.
Canadas newly-elected government must learn from President Obamas rejection
and rethink our failed economic strategy that has focused so heavily on exporting
fossil fuels, he said.
Posted by Thavam