Good Sunday Morning!
We awoke on Thursday to the – not unexpected – news that Carney has decreed the new dilbit pipeline from Alberta, running along largely the same route as Trudeau’s TMX pipeline, but south along the Fraser River and out to a new oil tanker port on Roberts Bank, to be the first “project of national interest” as legislated by bulldozer in June 2025 under C-5.
Here is the release from PMO, and – ta-da- drum roll please, the new name! “Pacific Link.”
Prime Minister Carney lists the West Coast Oil Pipeline, now known as Pacific Link, as a project of national interest to unlock Canada’s full potential as a global energy superpower. Prime Minister’s Web Site (https://pm.gc.ca/
October 1, 2026
Fort McMurray, Alberta
“Today, the Prime Minister, Mark Carney, announced that the Government of Canada is officially listing the new West Coast Oil Pipeline, now known as Pacific Link, as a project of national interest.
“Canada and Alberta will share equal ownership of Pacific Link. Indigenous communities will be offered a minimum of 10% ownership interest, financed through Canada and Alberta’s Indigenous Loan Guarantee Programs. Pembina Pipeline Corporation is a private sector investor and is offering its expertise to project development, which is being led by the Trans Mountain Corporation – the company that just built the largest oil pipeline to Canada’s West Coast. The pipeline will follow a southern route which protects British Columbia’s North Coast and avoids highly sensitive ecosystems, including the Great Bear Sea.
“Over the next year, the MPO, supported by the Canada Energy Regulator (CER), will lead the federal review process and consultations with all stakeholders on the conditions for this project – including the ownership, benefits, respect for Indigenous rights, environmental protections, and local hiring and oversight – with Indigenous Peoples involved from the start. The MPO will work to finalise those conditions by September 1, 2027, clearing the way to get shovels in the ground. This means that as the project proponents work over the next year to develop a final concept – from community consultations to route mapping, ecological surveys, cost estimates, procurement, and workforce planning – they will do so with confidence that the federal government supports this project. This will transform the way Canada builds major infrastructure by giving investors and builders the certainty they need to drive projects forward.”
Stunning these masters of the universe think they can claim by avoiding our north coast, they are avoiding ecologically sensitive areas! As though the Salish Sea is not ecologically sensitive! Thanks to Washington State for pushing back. The release goes on to claim this diversifies markets by opening a route to Asia… which is only relevant if markets in Asia want dilbit. So far, even after building TMX using the same lie that this was about getting dilbit to Asia, 90% of all Canada’s fossil fuel exports go to the U.S. And of the amount we ship to China, somewhere between a third to a half is used to pave roads. Once they take out the diluent and ship it back to Canada (in the US there is a south to north pipeline for returning the diluent) what they have is tar suitable for paving roads in China. But I guess PMO thinks being a “Tar super-power” sounds less nation-building than “Energy Superpower.”
John’s letter below was published September 29 in the Globe and Mail.
“Most Canadians support government efforts to reduce our dependence on the United States by making our economy more resilient and diverse. But increasing Canada’s share of European and Asian markets for bitumen and liquefied natural gas would work against these goals.
“The U.S. is determined to dominate the market: It seized control of Venezuelan oil, which in time would replace Canadian bitumen. And fossil energy markets in Asia and Europe are forecast to decline as more efficient renewables are rapidly deployed.
“Increasing competition with an undifferentiated product, in a declining market against a dominant player intending economic “conquest,” would be a failing strategy. It would embed Canada deeper with the U.S., reducing our resilience and autonomy. The opportunity cost of forgoing alternative long-term investments seems high.
“Anyone who’s raised venture money knows Canadian bankers are famously risk averse. Not so Mark Carney. This time, that’s not a good thing.”
John Kidder Ashcroft, B.C.
Meanwhile, dreadful BC premier David Eby joined Carney to announce doubling the Kitimat, B.C., LNG export facility, approving a second phase at the country’s first large-scale LNG terminal. They attempted to green wash the announcement with a second phase of Ocean Protection. “$1.2 billion in new investments to safeguard Canadian waters from increased tanker traffic, including developing a response plan to protect whales and other marine mammals from oil spills.”
As if this government understood a single thing about the behaviour of diluted bitumen in the ocean environment. Please God we will never find out how devastating a spill would be.
I want to shift gears to some inspiring news! And salute the Seniors for Climate Action and the Climate Witness caravan.
I like the story above for the good coverage and the photo of seniors blocking the road in rocking chairs. Eleven were arrested in all. A number had traveled from BC, including local Green Yves Parizeau. Arrests started Tuesday, but I was stuck in Parliament. For the protest on Wednesday, I was able to get out and cheer them on, stopping to greet friends like Lyn Adamson and Michael Polyani from Toronto on their rocking chairs. I told the Parliamentary security guards all around that these were my friends and if they needed to get into the building please to help them and take good care.
They did a great job and got quite a lot of media coverage, as did David Suzuki who joined the caravan launch and in Ottawa.
On Wednesday in Question Period, I thanked the caravan and asked if the government planned to present a business case before approving the pipeline. Clearly not.
For Friday’s question, I Zoomed from Toronto where I had received an award the night before for support for organic agriculture and retailing wonderful organic products. So nice of them. Anyway, this time I tried to get an answer about the PM’s investment summit. Nothing in my question was understood by the parliamentary secretary who gave the non-answer. Friday’s QP Question.
And so it goes!
For today, if you can please join the Old Growth rally! From 1 to 3 p.m., people from across the province will gather for Hands Off Old Growth rallies.
From the organizers:
“The rallies are intended to send a clear message to all parties and candidates in the upcoming provincial election that B.C. residents are united in their demand for protection of our rapidly diminishing stands of old-growth forests.
“The rally at the B.C. Legislature in Victoria will include speakers, music, and a giant community canvas where people can trace their hands in solidarity. But at its heart, this rally is not about slogans. It is about love for the living world that sustains us, grief for what’s been lost, and our responsibility to save what’s left.
“In an over-heating world, protecting the last ancient forests is not sentimental. Old growth and primary forests are worth more standing: for the climate, for the water, for the web of life, for the tourists who come from around the world, and for the generations who will ask what we did when there was still time.”
Thanks to everyone who shows up to protest for climate- for old growth- for Indigenous rights.
And thanks to the growing list of star candidates for the BC Greens!!! When will the media notice? Have a look!
So, for now, much love and thanks!!
See you same time next week!
Elizabeth