Alberta Premier Jason Kenney is frustrated with U.S. President Joe Biden’s decision to rescind the Presidential permit for the Keystone XL Pipeline border crossing. The project would carry 830,000 Alberta crude oil barrels to U.S. refineries. The entire project has been valued eight billion dollars. 

“Let’s be clear about what happened today, the leader of our closest ally retroactively vetoed approval for a pipeline that already exists and which is co-owned by a Canadian Government directly attacking by far the largest part of the Canada U.S. trade relationship which is our energy industry and exports,” explained Kenney. 

He believes the decision was made in haste and without formal communication. The Biden transition team has not communicated with Canada on the issue for months. 

“This decision was made without even giving Canada the opportunity respectfully to make the case for how Keystone XL would strengthen U.S. national and energy security, how it would bolster both economies, and how our two countries could find a path together from climate and environmental policy,” said Kenney.

 He believes the decision will kill jobs for both countries and undermine US national security by making them more reliant on OPEC oil imports. 

In a statement made on January 17, 2021 he noted “In 2019, the United States imported 9.14 million barrels per day of petroleum, 3.7 million of which came from Canada. The rest comes from countries like Venezuela and Saudi Arabia, none of whom share the commitment of Canada and the United States to environmental stewardship, combatting climate change, or North American energy security.” 

“The U.S. State Department’s own exhaustive analysis conducted under President Obama’s administration concluded that Keystone XL would actually reduce emissions, as the alternative will be to move this energy by higher emitting and less secure rail transport,” said Kenney. 

Kenney estimates the project would create 59,000 jobs but some have already lost their job as result of Biden’s decision. Kenney believes it will cost jobs for both countries when they need it most.  

“Today, as I speak, over 2,000 women and men have lost their jobs and are heading home from good paying union jobs as a result of this decision,” said Kenney. 

He is calling on the Prime Minister to enter discussions with the US to find a more reasonable outcome. 

“Failing an agreement with the American government, we call on the Government of Canada to respond with consequences for this attack on Canada’s largest industry. We are not asking for special treatment, simply the same response that Canada’s government had when other areas of our national economy were under threat from the U.S. government,” said Kenney.