Kenney calls for action on Keystone

EDMONTON (660 NEWS) – Alberta Premier Jason Kenney appeared on Fox News Friday, discussing President Joe Biden revoking the permit on the Keystone XL Pipeline.

“It’s very frustrating that one of the first acts of the new president was (…) to disrespect America’s closest friend and ally; Canada.”

The interview took place hours before Biden made his first call to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

Kenney also released his letter to the Prime Minister, which describes his “profound disappointment on the cancellation of the Keystone XL Pipeline, and the lack of federal response to our repeated requests for your personal intervention with the incoming Administration”.

While Kenney calls on the Prime Minister to find a patch to a reconsideration of Keystone, Canada’s Infrastructure Minister Catherine McKenna wouldn’t discuss the possibility of any legal or trade action, adding we need to focus on moving forward.

For both Canada and the US, Keystone XL represents:

– Greater N. American energy security
– Thousands of blue-collar union jobs
– Less emissions vs. moving oil by rail

Canada deserves the chance to make the case for this mutually beneficial project to our closest ally & friend. pic.twitter.com/taAnyrZTxl

— Jason Kenney (@jkenney) January 22, 2021

“There are huge opportunities for every single province with the United States. It’s critically important that we remain focused on what are wins for both countries,” added McKenna.

However, legal action and jobs were key points Kenney made on Fox News, a station that caters to Republicans in the United States.

“…And to kill good-paying, union jobs on both sides of the border and ultimately to make the United States more dependent on foreign oil imports from (…) dictatorships.”

“We don’t understand it, and at the very least, we believe that those who’ve invested in this project, trusting in the regulatory process in the U.S., should be compensated by the U.S. administration.”

Meanwhile, back in Alberta, the NDP plan to bring forward an emergency motion demanding cabinet waive privilege and release the full risk analysis and all financial documents related to the deal.

Here’s what PM Trudeau said to President Biden during their phone call. This is the part related to Keystone: “The Prime Minister underscored the important economic and energy security benefits of our bilateral energy relationship as well as his support for energy workers.” pic.twitter.com/Y9geBLpQdN

— Jeff Slack (@Jeffslack660) January 23, 2021

The government invested $1.5-billion in 2020 and another $6-billion in loan guarantees in 2021.

-with files from CityNews’ Tara Overholt