Canada to push to join trade group, sell oil to Asia
HONOLULU — Prime Minister Stephen Harper signalled a shift in his government’s economic and trade policies Sunday, announcing Canada will apply to join the Trans-Pacific Partnership and will further look to sell its oil and gas to Asian countries following American delays in approving the Keystone XL pipeline.
The prime minister held key bilateral talks with U.S. President Barack Obama on Sunday over lunch, on the fringes of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Honolulu.
The coveted face time provided Harper an opportunity to address a growing number of cross-border irritants,burberry outlet cheap including the Keystone XL, Buy American provisions, the Beyond the Border initiative and new $5.50 travel surcharge to the U.S. But the prime minister cautioned it would be wrong to interpret the moves as anti-Canadian, blaming the measures on the “political season” in the United States.
Speaking to reporters Sunday at the APEC summit, Harper said he’s disappointed with the Obama administration’s decision to delay a ruling on the Keystone XL pipeline and consider rerouting it, but believes the project will proceed because it’s critical for both the Canadian and American economies.
“We are disappointed. Nonetheless, I remain optimistic that the project will eventually go ahead because it makes eminent sense, and I would also point out, I think it’s important to note that there has been extremely negative reaction to this decision in the United States because this pipeline and this project is obviously what’s in the best interests of not just the Canadian economy but also the American economy,” Harper said.
“I do think as well though — and I think this is important to say — this does underscore the necessity of Canada making sure that we’re able to access Asian markets for our energy products and that will be an important priority of this government going forward and I indicated that (Saturday) to President Hu of China.”
The Obama administration announced Thursday it’s delaying a final ruling on the Keystone XL oilsands pipeline until after the November 2012 presidential election while the government looks to reroute it.
The $7-billion Keystone XL would carry up to 830,000 barrels of oil per day from northern Alberta to refineries on the Gulf Coast of Texas.
The U.S. State Department said it’s ordering a new review of the project aimed at rerouting Keystone XL around sensitive ecosystems along its proposed path through Nebraska.
Canada’s ticket to selling its petroleum to Asia is Enbridge’s $5.5-billion Northern Gateway pipeline, which would ship oilsands bitumen from northern Alberta to a marine facility in Kitimat, B.C., where oil would be unloaded onto tankers for export.
The Northern Gateway project is currently under review by the National Energy Board and the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency. The pipeline could be operational by 2017.
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