In Quebec, opposition mounts against a pipeline project that doesn't exist
OTTAWA — At Quebec's National Assembly and on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, pipelines have dominated the debates. The only issue? No projects involving the province are on the agenda.
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'I think there is a fixation on pipelines on (Prime Minister Mark) Carney's part at the moment, not on the part of Quebecers,' said Bloc Québécois MP and former Greenpeace activist Patrick Bonin.
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Since taking office in May, Bonin has mentioned the pipeline issue more than 20 times in his speeches on the floor of the House of Commons.
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'We will not allow the government to build a pipeline through Quebec,' he said on Monday.
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According to Bonin, the prime minister is 'rolling out the red carpet for the oil companies' by meeting with some 20 CEOs in Calgary the day before his meeting with the premiers in Saskatoon and by hoping to speed up environmental assessments.
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Since the election, Carney has spoken cautiously about 'conventional energy' infrastructure and has repeatedly stated that no decisions have been made at this stage regarding the major projects he wants to see come to fruition.
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But he did take a step further on Wednesday, feeding Bonin's worst fears.
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'The consensus that's required includes a consensus with the Indigenous people. We will stand with Indigenous Canadians, we will build pipelines and energy infrastructure in this great country,' Carney said on the floor of the House of Commons.
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In Quebec, many politicians remain on the edge of their seats.
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'Any pipeline project, any kind, is bad for the environment, bad for the economy, bad for Quebec,' said Ruba Ghazal, the Quebec solidaire House leader at the National Assembly.
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'If the premier doesn't want to completely shut the door on a pipeline project, can he at least ensure that environmental sovereignty is defended?' she asked.
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Quebec Premier François Legault seemed baffled by the question the day after Alberta Premier Danielle Smith appeared resigned about the prospect of a pipeline through Quebec, saying she would have more success with a corridor between Hudson Bay and Prince Rupert.
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'The leader of Québec solidaire is getting excited about something that doesn't exist,' replied Legault. 'There is currently no project that is taking place in Quebec.'
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