Wednesday, December 24, 2025
ADVT 
National

O'Toole presses pipelines with U.S. envoy

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 11 Feb, 2021 06:14 PM
  • O'Toole presses pipelines with U.S. envoy

Conservative Leader Erin O'Toole urged the acting American ambassador to Canada to tell Washington to preserve the Line 5 pipeline to the United States.

O'Toole told Katherine Brucker that he was disappointed by President Joe Biden's decision to cancel Keystone XL pipeline on his first day in office last month.

O'Toole also said if the governor of Michigan follows through on plans to shut down Line 5 by May it would have a negative economic impact on both countries.

About 87 million litres of oil and natural gas liquids moves daily through Line 5 from Wisconsin to Sarnia, Ont., passing through parts of Michigan.

The U.S. embassy in Ottawa declined to comment on the Wednesday conversation between Brucker and O'Toole.

But the Conservative leader's office released its own readout of the meeting.

"Mr. O'Toole raised his disappointment about the decision of the United States to cancel the Keystone XL pipeline and made the case for why this project should continue, including the economic benefits for both countries," it said.

"He also raised the potential Line 5 pipeline cancellation and the tremendous economic blow this would cause both countries."

O'Toole also asked the U.S. to help secure more vaccines for Canadians.

"Mr. O'Toole spoke about the need for vaccines in order to secure jobs and turn the corner in the pandemic," the readout said.

A U.S. embassy spokeswoman said Brucker meets with "a wide range of Canadians from all sectors, including political leaders, to learn about their priorities and promote bilateral understanding" but it does not comment publicly on the details of those conversations.

But recent moves by Biden make it unlikely that Canada will receive any extra vaccine doses made in the United States

Biden invoked the Defence Production Act, after former president Donald Trump did the same last year to push for faster production of personal protective equipment and vaccines. Biden did not specifically mention exports, but he has promised to vaccinate 100 million Americans in his first 100 days in office.

O'Toole also registered his opposition to American tariffs on softwood lumber and the Buy American policies that the Biden administration is also following after Trump.

"They also spoke about the threat the Chinese Communist Party poses to both the United States and Canada. Mr. O'Toole raised the issue of Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor who are currently being held hostage, and thanked the United States for their willingness to assist in securing their release," said the readout.

 

MORE National ARTICLES

More jobs at firms with more robots, StatCan says

More jobs at firms with more robots, StatCan says
The findings released today show that over two decades, firms that invested in automation had workforces 15 per cent larger relative to other companies in the same industry.

More jobs at firms with more robots, StatCan says

MacKay opts out of another run for Parliament

MacKay opts out of another run for Parliament
Two months ago MacKay finished second to Erin O'Toole in the Conservative leadership contest and had been spending the fall pondering his political future.

MacKay opts out of another run for Parliament

Three bodies found on Vancouver Island: Coroner

Three bodies found on Vancouver Island: Coroner
The service says in a statement the bodies were found Sunday in an area known as Whiskey Creek, near the community of Coombs.

Three bodies found on Vancouver Island: Coroner

WATCH: BC NDP MLA elect Aman Singh has made history as the first turbaned Sikh in the BC Legislature.

WATCH: BC NDP MLA elect Aman Singh has made history as the first turbaned Sikh in the BC Legislature.
BC NDP MLA elect Aman Singh has made history as the first turbaned sikh MLA elect in the BC Legislature. "Systemic Racism Exists, the only way to fight it is to bring forward representation," said Mr Singh to DARPAN host Ish Sharma. 

WATCH: BC NDP MLA elect Aman Singh has made history as the first turbaned Sikh in the BC Legislature.

Five Things on Canada's foreign end run of Trump

Five Things on Canada's foreign end run of Trump
"Pax Americana is probably behind us," Champagne said in the interview. "Now, we need to see what's our interests, our values and our principles.

Five Things on Canada's foreign end run of Trump

Premiers impatient with PM on health transfers

Premiers impatient with PM on health transfers
The federal government this year will transfer to the provinces nearly $42 billion for health care, under an arrangement that sees the transfer increase by at least three per cent each year.

Premiers impatient with PM on health transfers