CBC reports:
Prime Minister Stephen Harper has sent a letter to U.S. President Barack Obama formally proposing “joint action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the oil and gas sector,” if that is what’s needed to gain approval of the Keystone XL pipeline through America’s heartland, CBC News has learned.
Sources told CBC News the prime minister is willing to accept targets proposed by the United States for reducing the climate-changing emissions and is prepared to work in concert with Obama to provide whatever political cover he needs to approve the project.
The letter, sent in late August, is a clear signal Canada is prepared to make concessions to get the presidential permit for TransCanada Corp.’s controversial $7-billion pipeline, which will connect the Alberta oilsands to refineries in Texas.
But there’s a huge snag. Obama hasn’t said what he wants, or needs, to assuage environmentalists that Keystone XL is in America’s national interest, or to convince congressional Democrats facing re-election next year that it can be approved without sabotaging their campaigns.
And the White House has yet to respond to the letter.
it is probably just pragmatism. Canada is losing Billions of dollars a.year on this. If they can throw Obama a bone – have Al Gore plant a few trees – instead of waiting years or building a new BC pipeline it would be worth it. it is just good business sense.
I am sure Harper doesn’t really want to bribe Eco freaks to get the pipeline built – sometime you gotta do what you got to do.
The CBC is full of socialists and water melons. I hope this is just CBC propaganda: Yes, they do interfere in politics.
What we need now is an Austrialian Election Watch thread
Mr. Harper just because the Americans elected an idiot you don’t have to be one too. AGW is dead except to those who can still profit from it. The pipeline is not worth the toadying.
Dagnation, PM Harper. Please show us some spirit. Stop giving credence to this farce (AGW or Obama, take your pick).