Alberta lost $1.3 billion earlier this decade investing in the Keystone XL project when one U.S. president, Joe Biden, cancelled a cross-border pipeline permit that was signed by the previous president, Donald Trump.

Now, Trump wants to see the project resuscitated, promoting the idea this week on social media while discussing the Canada-U.S. trade talks.

Varcoe: Alberta suffered a $1.3 billion hit on KXL – should it factor into Trump's call to bring back the pipeline? Back to video

Here’s an idea: if he really wants the pipeline to be built, how about the current president find a way to compensate Alberta taxpayers for money lost the last time around, due to the actions of the previous U.S. president?

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Or, at the very least, take that loss into account.

“This was a damage incurred by a Canadian government, which acted in good faith to sell the U.S. more energy. . . I wouldn’t let this become a deal-stopper,” said Jason Kenney, who was Alberta’s premier when the province decided to invest in the Keystone XL project in 2020.

“That should be part of the discussion. We shouldn’t just walk away from it, and be typical Canadians and suck up our losses. It was the United States government that really dealt a blow to its trading relationship with Canada by blocking that project,” Kenney said in an interview earlier this week.

“Are they going to cut us a $1.3-billion-dollar cheque? I very much doubt it. But if there is a commitment to make this (project) happen, Alberta’s previous investment should be a part of the discussion. Where that lands, I don’t know.”

Betting on the future........

© Calgary Herald