Quebec says there's no 'social acceptability' for pipelines
Premier Francois Legault suggested Quebecers weren't interested in pipelines passing through their province, despite a potential trade war with the United States threatening Canada's economy.
With President Donald Trump exerting force on Canada over border security issues, problems of where to ship Canadian oil and gas — should a breakdown of relations with the U.S. occur — has been a contentious point of discussion.
As countries like Germany, Japan and others ask to purchase Canadian energy, one major hurdle arises: getting the resources out of Canada and to the market. Pipeline projects cost a lot of money and require approvals from various levels of government.
Despite the foreign interest, Quebec, however, has been fervently opposed to pipeline projects passing through La Belle Province. Premier Francois Legault recently addressed the issue, saying there was “no social acceptability” for pipelines in Quebec, though he did offer the caveat that continuing economic struggles could see that change.
On Wednesday's Rebel Roundup livestream, host Ezra Levant looked at the temporary pause in a potential trade war between the U.S. and Canada, and how “social acceptability” is a concept commonly used to block Canadian energy development.
“[Social acceptability] is whatever an objector or a vetoer has to say,” Ezra explained. “[They say], well you haven't convinced me, and I can get a hundred left-wing Antifa rioters on the street to say — even though polls have always shown support for Canadian oil and pipelines — we're going to block it.”
This fluid definition is “whatever the politicians or the media says,” he added.
“Of course, if Canada had other export markets for our oil, we wouldn't be so reliant on America. I would rather sell our ethical oil to America than to China, but who was it that blocked the pipelines from Alberta to blue water oceans? It was the Liberals in Canada and provincial premiers and provincial governments, including in B.C., and Francois Legault was one of the worst.”
COMMENTS
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Bernhard Jatzezck commented 2025-02-06 21:56:29 -0500In ancient times, cities located next to trade routes prospered. It was at those places that caravans or ships stopped to rest and resupply. Merchants who provided what was needed became rich.
There’s money to be made in operating and maintaining a pipeline.
