NDP demands action as jobs, environment, and Canadian energy security at stake

National Energy Board recommendation to approve Keystone Pipeline should be rejected and referred to House Committee for hearings

Edited by Iain Mackenzie

OTTAWA - The New Democratic Party of Canada (NDP) is continuing to demand that the Harper Conservatives reject a decision by the National Energy Board (NEB) that the Keystone Pipeline be approved. The proposed Keystone project would see unrefined heavy crude be exported from Alberta through a pipeline to Illinois, exclusively to serve U.S. markets.

Decisions of the NEB are forwarded to the federal cabinet for final determination. At its hearings, the NEB essentially ignored the relevant study by Michael McCracken of Informetrica Ltd., which forecast that the potential of creating 18,000 new value-added jobs could be lost to Canada if the 3000 kilometre pipeline is approved.

“With so many value-added jobs and environmental issues at stake, the Harper Government cannot be allowed to slide this past the Canadian people while Parliament is not sitting and without a proper debate,” said NDP Leader Jack Layton. “Energy security, environmental ramifications, and the creation of good long-term jobs shouldn’t be at the mercy of a singular NEB decision.”

The Keystone Pipeline would have the capacity of exporting as much as 540,000 barrels per day of oil from Hardisty, Alberta to Southern Illinois.

“We need to take a hard look at why our government would so readily accept thousands of refining jobs being created in the U.S., but not here,” said NDP MP-elect Thomas Mulcair. “What does it mean for Canadian refineries, in places like Sarnia and Montreal? This is a Canada-wide issue.”

Two similar pipeline projects - the “Alberta Clipper” and the “Southern Lights Project” - are now proceeding through the NEB approvals process. Unfortunately, the NEB considers each project in isolation.

“The consequences of these kinds of decisions are multi-faceted and inter-linked and the NEB process is inadequate for giving proper consideration,” said NDP Energy critic Dennis Bevington (Western Arctic). “The Standing Committee on Natural Resources should hold hearings on the consequences of these pipelines as soon as Parliament returns.”

The NDP applauds the efforts of the Communications, Energy and Paperworkers Union of Canada, which has been involved in opposing the project approvals in NEB proceedings.

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