Canada in touch with incoming Biden admin about oil pipeline

Canian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Tuesday his officials are in regular contact with U.S. President-elect Joe Biden’s incoming ministration about a long disputed oil pipeline that reports say Biden will cancel on his first day in office.

Trudeau said over last number of days, including Tuesday, that his officials have communicated arguments in favor of Keystone XL pipeline to highest levels of his ministration. A few Canian media outlets reported Sunday that Biden plans to scrap pipeline immediately upon taking office. Biden’s plan is outlined in transition documents seen by outlets.

“We are speaking with highest level of ministration to promote our arguments in support of this project,” Trudeau said.

Trudeau said he looks forward to talking to Biden about it in coming days.

Biden spokesman Andrew Bates said this week transition team h comment on pipeline. A person familiar with pipeline matter said Monday that document cited by Canian news media was a draft slide that was a few weeks old. Despite timing suggested in draft slide, everything on it “may t happen on day one,” person said, speaking on condition of anymity because y were t authorized to speak on record on matter.

1,700-mile (2,735-kilometer) pipeline would carry roughly 800,000 barrels of oil a day from Alberta to Texas Gulf Coast, passing through Montana, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas and Oklahoma.

First proposed in 2008, pipeline has become emblematic of tensions between ecomic development and curbing fossil fuel emissions that are causing climate change. Obama ministration rejected it, but President Donald Trump revived it and has been a strong supporter. Construction alrey started.

Trudeau raised Keystone XL as a top priority when he spoke with Biden in a phone call in vember. project is meant to expand critical oil exports for Cana, which has third-largest oil reserves in world.

Trudeau and Biden are politically aligned and re are expectations for a return to rmal relations after four years of Trump, but pipeline is expected to be an early irritant as Biden has said he would cancel it.

Trudeau has tried to balance oil industry’s desire for more pipelines with environmentalists’ concerns. He canceled one major pipeline to Pacific coast from oil-rich Alberta, but approved ar and instituted a national carbon tax.

Trudeau said Canians will be watching swearing-in of Biden and Vice President-elect Harris.

“This moment will mark a new chapter in incredible relationship between our two countries,” Trudeau said.

Im Credits: AP