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US lawmakers and citizens voice preference for Canada to replace Russian imports via Keystone XL revival

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President Biden cancelled major pipeline from Canada on his first day in office

From The Canadian Energy Centre Ltd. 

On the heels of President Biden’s ban on the import of all Russian oil and gas products, a new poll shows that 71 per cent of Americans think Biden should reverse his decision to cancel the Keystone XL pipeline, while 64 per cent believe Canadian production should replace Russian oil.  

The U.S. bought  640,000 barrels per day on average of oil and petroleum products from Russia between July and December, according to the latest data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration.   

The Keystone XL pipeline would have had capacity to ship 830,000 barrels per day from Western Canada to the U.S. refineries, starting in 2023.  

Instead of looking to America’s largest trading partner, Canada, to increase oil exports, the White House is turningto regimes like Saudi Arabia, Iran and Venezuela.   

Maintaining a secure and reliable supply of energy products has never been more important.   

US leaders continue to challenge the year-old decision to cancel the Keystone XL pipeline expansion project, calling for its reinstatement.  

Here’s what they had to say this week:   

 

Senator John Boozman (AR) tweeted 

Pulling the plug on the Keystone XL Pipeline hurt Americans. It cost 1000s of jobs—many in Arkansas—and a cleaner, faster energy supply. Restarting this project & opening up domestic oil & gas deposits will benefit American consumers & our allies abroad. 

Senator Shelley Moore Capito (WV) tweeted 

Why are West Virginians paying more at the pump? 

– No domestic production on federal lands 

– Cancelation of Keystone XL pipeline 

– Anti-fossil fuel policies 

– Record inflation 

– Pipeline buildout prevention 

Decisions have consequences, @potus, and it’s time to take responsibility.  

Senator Bill Hagerty (TN) tweeted 

Biden should be announcing today that we’re reopening the Keystone XL Pipeline, that we’re going to be drilling on federal lands. We need to become energy independent again now—not driving up prices around the world & fueling Vladimir Putin’s war machine. 

And 

Instead of ineffective green energy fanaticism, the Biden Administration needs to come out and clearly state that we’re going to reopen the Keystone XL pipeline, that we’re going to get back in the energy business, and that we’re going to become energy independent again. 

And 

Biden’s work with our adversaries for energy has to stop! And we could stop it—re-open the Keystone XL pipeline, DRILL, get back in the energy business, & remove this massive lever that Vladimir Putin has over the American economy. Biden could and should do this TODAY. 

Senator Ron Johnson (WI) tweeted 

When President Biden got into office, he canceled the Keystone XL Pipeline, ignored the crisis at the southern border, and pushed for out-of-control government spending that sparked inflation rates we haven’t seen in decades. Democrat policies have weakened America. 

Senator Rick Scott (FL) tweeted 

Joe Biden’s war on American energy is why gas prices have skyrocketed. Does he care that this hurts working families? Nope.  

Biden has been bragging about his failed policies, like killing the Keystone Pipeline. Americans can’t afford this shameful indifference. #BidensPriceHike 

RT: @MikeKBerg “Joe Biden on the campaign trail: “I guarantee you, I guarantee you we are going to end fossil fuel.” Now gas prices are at record highs and Biden says his policies aren’t to blame? 

Senator Roger Wicker (MS) said 

President Biden’s hostile plans for American energy came into view in 2019 when he told his far-left supporters, “I guarantee you, we are going to end fossil fuel.” Since taking office, he has been working overtime to cut production of U.S. oil, natural gas, and coal. Last year, he ended the Keystone XL pipeline project, halted new oil and gas leases on federal lands and waters, banned drilling in oil-rich parts of Alaska, and rejoined the Paris Climate Agreement, all of which will kill American energy jobs. These decisions have driven up energy costs and made it harder for us to absorb recent price surges stemming from Putin’s war in Ukraine. 

Republican House Leader Kevin McCarthy (CA) said 

Under President Biden’s leadership, energy imports from Russia increased by 34%. This administration has not only stalled oil and natural gas exports to our allies, but has blocked further energy transportation infrastructure in the U.S., like the Keystone XL Pipeline, while supporting projects abroad, like Russia’s Nord Stream 2 pipeline. With investments in our own pipeline infrastructure, American refineries could have easy access to Canadian crude oil instead of Russian oil.   

Rep. Troy Balderson (OH) tweeted 

Bad for American energy independence: 

Canceling Keystone XL Pipeline 

Halting energy leases on federal lands 

Greenlighting Russia’s Nord Stream 2 

Begging OPEC for oil 

Punishing producer w/ new taxes and fees 

Rep. Lauren Boebert (CO) tweeted: 

My bill, H.R. 7012, restarts the Keystone Pipeline, allows responsible drilling in ANWR, expedites LNG exports, restarts O&G leasing, provides ammo to Ukraine, and actually bans oil and gas imports from Russia, Iran, and Venezuela. This is the real solution America needs! 

Rep. Kat Cammack (FL) tweeted: 

There was no funding for authorizing the restart of the Keystone pipeline, and this administration has not approved a single permit since they took office.  

We need to get serious about domestic energy production.  

Rep. Randy Feenstra (IA) tweeted 

During my 39 county tour stops, Iowans tell me they want America to be energy independent again. We should build the Keystone XL Pipeline and increase ethanol and biodiesel. It’s time to end our reliance on foreign energy! #IA04 

Rep. Mark Green (TN) tweeted: 

By blocking our own pipeline but allowing others, Joe Biden has made it clear that both climate change and American jobs are just a political game to him. 

Rep. Lisa McClain (MI) tweeted: 

One of President Biden’s first actions in office was to shut down the Keystone XL pipeline.  

As much as gas prices right now are a result of Putin’s war, they’re also a direct result of Biden’s poor policies.  

Rep. Elise Stefanik (NY) tweeted: 

On his first day in office, Joe Biden made his anti-energy agenda clear. 

He ended the Keystone XL pipeline and launched his war on American energy independence. 

Rep. Claudia Tenney (NY) tweeted: 

What should Biden do to increase energy production?  

  End his freeze on new oil and gas projects  

  Restart construction of Keystone XL Pipeline  

  Fast-track pending export permits for liquified natural gas (LNG) 

Rep. Bruce Westerman (AR) tweeted 

@POTUS can’t gaslight the American people into believing Putin is the only reason for increased gas prices. 

Gas prices started to rise from Biden’s first day in office when he launched his war on American energy. 

He made this bed. Now we have to lie in it. 

Governor Greg Abbott (TX) tweeted: 

New poll: Large majority of Americans unhappy with Biden’s handling of high gas prices. 

Ya think? 

He caused it when he closed pipelines & canceled oil & gas permits. 

If you stop production and transportation of oil, the price of gas goes up. 

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Alberta

Alberta taxpayers should know how much their municipal governments spend

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From the Fraser Institute

By Tegan Hill and Austin Thompson

Next week, voters across Alberta will go to the polls to elect their local governments. Of course, while the issues vary depending on the city, town or district, all municipal governments spend taxpayer money.

And according to a recent study, Grande Prairie County and Red Deer County were among Alberta’s highest-spending municipalities (on a per-person basis) in 2023 (the latest year of comparable data). Kara Westerlund, president of the Rural Municipalities of Alberta, said that’s no surprise—arguing that it’s expensive to serve a small number of residents spread over large areas.

That challenge is real. In rural areas, fewer people share the cost of roads, parks and emergency services. But high spending isn’t inevitable. Some rural municipalities managed to spend far less, demonstrating that local choices about what services to provide, and how to deliver them, matter.

Consider the contrast in spending levels among rural counties. In 2023, Grande Prairie County and Red Deer County spent $5,413 and $4,619 per person, respectively. Foothills County, by comparison, spent just $2,570 per person. All three counties have relatively low population densities (fewer than seven residents per square kilometre) yet their per-person spending varies widely. (In case you’re wondering, Calgary spent $3,144 and Edmonton spent $3,241.)

Some of that variation reflects differences in the cost of similar services. For example, all three counties provide fire protection but in 2023 this service cost $56.95 per person in Grande Prairie County, $38.51 in Red Deer County and $10.32 in Foothills County. Other spending differences reflect not just how much is spent, but whether a service is offered at all. For instance, in 2023 Grande Prairie County recorded $46,283 in daycare spending, while Red Deer County and Foothills County had none.

Put simply, population density alone simply doesn’t explain why some municipalities spend more than others. Much depends on the choices municipal governments make and how efficiently they deliver services.

Westerlund also dismissed comparisons showing that some counties spend more per person than nearby towns and cities, calling them “apples to oranges.” It’s true that rural municipalities and cities differ—but that doesn’t make comparisons meaningless. After all, whether apples are a good deal depends on the price of other fruit, and a savvy shopper might switch to oranges if they offer better value. In the same way, comparing municipal spending—across all types of communities—helps Albertans judge whether they get good value for their tax dollars.

Every municipality offers a different mix of services and those choices come with different price tags. Consider three nearby municipalities: in 2023, Rockyview County spent $3,419 per person, Calgary spent $3,144 and Airdrie spent $2,187. These differences reflect real trade-offs in the scope, quality and cost of local services. Albertans should decide for themselves which mix of local services best suits their needs—but they can’t do that without clear data on what those services actually cost.

A big municipal tax bill isn’t an inevitable consequence of rural living. How much gets spent in each Alberta municipality depends greatly on the choices made by the mayors, reeves and councillors Albertans will elect next week. And for Albertans to determine whether or not they get good value for their local tax dollars, they must know how much their municipality is spending.

Tegan Hill

Director, Alberta Policy, Fraser Institute

Austin Thompson

Senior Policy Analyst, Fraser Institute
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Alberta

Premier Smith addresses the most important issue facing Alberta teachers: Classroom Complexity

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Premier Danielle Smith is posting this response to a media question about Classroom Complexity.

While Albertans are hearing a lot about capping class sizes, Premier Smith says it might be a much better idea to talk about capping “complexity”.

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