Wednesday, December 31, 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

Feds short $14B on equalization: PBO

Feds short $14B on equalization: PBO
The parliamentary budget officer's review of a decade of federal payments to provinces showed that federal coffers have saved $14.5 billion over that time.

Feds short $14B on equalization: PBO

Military members asked to use COVID-19 app

Military members asked to use COVID-19 app
Chief of defence staff Gen. Jonathan Vance and Defence Department deputy minister Jody Thomas say they understand some may have concerns when it comes to privacy and secrecy.

Military members asked to use COVID-19 app

Tories ask languages czar to probe WE deal

Tories ask languages czar to probe WE deal
Conservative MP Richard Martel alleges in a letter to commissioner Raymond Theberge that the youth group did not have the ability to deliver the multimillion-dollar Canada Student Service Grant program in both of Canada's official languages.

Tories ask languages czar to probe WE deal

Parents take Quebec to court for online learning

Parents take Quebec to court for online learning
Human rights lawyer Julius Grey told Quebec Superior Court Justice Frederic Bachand the decision to send one's child to class during the COVID-19 pandemic is an extremely private and personal one.

Parents take Quebec to court for online learning

Bottle depots to accept cannabis containers?

Bottle depots to accept cannabis containers?
The Alberta Bottle Depot Association says paying a deposit on the containers and having it returned at dropoff would help divert plastic from landfills and stabilize declines in depot income.

Bottle depots to accept cannabis containers?

Space agency gets first female president

Space agency gets first female president
Longtime public servant Lisa Campbell has been tapped by the Trudeau government to take the agency's reins, the first woman to head the organization since it was founded in 1989.

Space agency gets first female president