Readers have their say on the potential new pipeline to northwest B.C., billionaire 'benefactors,' Canadians' short memories; help for the military, and more

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Re: Canada’s oilsands make their comeback as U.S. shale plateaus — Robert Tuttle, Nov. 17; and Carney says it’s ‘wrong’ to say emissions cap is preventing major energy projects — Christopher Nardi, Nov. 7

How ironic that with a memorandum of understanding apparently to be made public within the coming days, it is the anti-pipeline Liberal government that will take credit for engaging with Alberta to get a pipeline built to move Albertan crude to a port in northwest B.C. This long overdue venture has long been advocated by the Conservatives but it appears it may proceed under Prime Minister Mark Carney’s leadership in spite of B.C. Premier David Eby’s opposition.

The federal government has the authority to force this project through if it is deemed to be in “the national interest.” It most certainly is, but it will require a private consortium to provide funding. Apparently Alberta Premier Danielle Smith has been working to make this happen. The article by Robert Tuttle described how successful the Trans Mountain pipeline has been in supplying Asian markets. This new pipeline will further this worthy goal, helping get foreign countries off coal while diversifying our client base.

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Harry K. Hocquard, King, Ont.

Two things stood out in Mark Carney’s attempts to be clever in his responses to questions posed at a recent event at Toronto’s Canadian Club.

First, he suggested one thing that makes Canada more attractive than the United States for investment is “the rule of law.” If the federal government’s new Major Projects Office has been established to allow the government to circumvent such things as the emissions cap and the Impact Assessment Act when they deem it suitable to do so, then surely we are in a regime of arbitrary government decisions, not the rule of law that other projects need to conform to. A comparison of net investment flows out of Canada and into the United States tells us what investors think.

Second, when asked about a new pipeline, having assured us that he’s “on the pipeline stuff,” he was careful to add, “Well, something’s going to happen. Let’s put it that way.” How coy. I hope Alberta Premier Danielle Smith doesn’t end up playing Charlie Brown to Mark Carney’s Lucy, who pulls the pipeline football away just as Premier Smith expects to kick off/announce the project.

Fred E. Clark, Edmonton

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