Justin Trudeau is poised to give the green light to a major crude pipeline as he faces rising calls to support Canada’s struggling oil industry.
The prime minister’s cabinet is widely expected to give the go-ahead at a meeting Tuesday to the expansion of the Trans Mountain pipeline from Alberta to Vancouver that would add 590,000 barrels of daily shipping capacity, a 15% boost to Western Canada’s current 4 million. The project would still need to get local building permits, overcome legal challenges and likely face pushback from environmentalists.
If completed, the expansion would nearly triple capacity on the pipeline that runs from the western crude-rich province of Alberta to British Columbia’s Pacific coast. But it has faced increasing protests from environmental activists and aboriginal groups.
If he rejects it, he risks further alienating an energy lobby that has accused him of wanting to wreck their industry as he has pressed ahead with plans to strengthen the environmental assessments of major new energy projects at a time of low prices. @ news.yahoo.com
It’s a lose-lose situation for Trudeau. After failing Canada in almost every aspect IE immigration, trade, the economy he will most likely try and help the energy sector after facing fierce backlash.