Germany still seeking LNG deals after Trudeau claimed no 'business case'
Germany is still trying to lock down liquified natural gas deals, with Chancellor Friedrich Merz travelling to the Middle East this week in search of trade deals, years after Justin Trudeau claimed there was “no strong business case” for Canada to export LNG to Germany.
Germany is on the hunt for liquefied natural gas — and it’s heading to the Middle East to get it.
The German chancellor is travelling to Saudi Arabia and Qatar this week, trying to lock down long-term LNG supply deals as Europe works to stabilize its energy security after losing access to low-cost Russian gas.
Germany is the European Union’s largest energy consumer. It needs reliable fuel, and it is actively signing contracts to get it — including long-term LNG supply agreements with U.S. exporters, and now potentially with Gulf producers.
Which makes this awkward for Canada.
Because just a few years ago, Ottawa said exporting Canadian LNG to Europe didn’t make economic sense.
In August 2022, standing beside Germany’s chancellor, Justin Trudeau told reporters there had “never been a strong business case” for shipping Canadian LNG to Europe from Canada’s East Coast.
Fast forward to today. Germany is locking down LNG wherever it can — because energy security matters.
And Canada? Canada still doesn’t have the internal infrastructure to even move its own natural gas across the country efficiently.
In fact, Canada now imports LNG from Egypt to supply Atlantic Canada, because it’s easier to ship gas across the Atlantic Ocean than it is to move Canadian gas from Western Canada to the east coast.
So, while Germany is signing contracts to secure fuel for its economy, Canada is buying foreign LNG to heat its own homes — despite sitting on one of the largest natural gas reserves on Earth.
Other countries-built export terminals. They signed long-term deals. They filled the gap left by Russian gas. Canada chose not to.
Europe found suppliers — contracts were signed and infrastructure was built.
By refusing to develop our own resources and connect them to markets, Canada didn’t just miss an export opportunity — we created a situation where we now import LNG ourselves.
Germany is proving what Ottawa once denied: there is a business case for LNG.
Canada just decided not to be part of it because LNG is from the West.
Sheila Gunn Reid
Chief Reporter
Sheila Gunn Reid is the Alberta Bureau Chief for Rebel News and host of the weekly The Gunn Show with Sheila Gunn Reid. She's a mother of three, conservative activist, and the author of best-selling books including Stop Notley.
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COMMENTS
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Bernhard Jatzeck commented 2026-02-06 19:57:52 -0500This isn’t anything new. Remember what happened to the Mackenzie Valley Pipeline? Its proposed alternative, the Alaska Highway Pipeline? Which party and who was PM at the time those projects were shelved? Yup, it was the Liberals and PET.
Making sure Alberta can and must never succeed is not just a Liberal policy, it’s a tradition. Thank you, Natural Governing Party…… for nothing. -
Bruce Atchison commented 2026-02-06 19:21:37 -0500Did Carney tell Trudeau there was no business case for LNG? I suspect he did. One more reason for Alberta to leave con-federation.
