Democrats' Protectionist Policies Threaten Canada's Energy Interests
Canada's energy interests are being threatened by the Democrats' protectionist policies, particularly in regards to the Line 5 pipeline controversy. Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer has been trying to shut down the pipeline for eight years, which would have devastating economic consequences for Canada.
The 1,038-km pipeline carries 540,000 barrels of crude oil and natural gas liquids daily, with half of the oil supplied to Ontario and Quebec and half of the propane supplied to Michigan at risk of being cut off. If Line 5 is shut down, it would require up to 800 railway tank cars and 2,000 trucks per day to transport the remaining oil and natural gas liquids, posing new dangers to public safety.
The Trudeau government invoked a 1977 treaty between Canada and the U.S. in 2021 and again in 2022 to ensure the uninterrupted transmission of hydrocarbons, citing the economic and energy disruption that would result from a Line 5 shutdown. However, this has not resolved the impasse.
Last week, the Democratic-dominated Michigan Supreme Court threw the future of Line 5 into doubt with a 6-1 decision, ordering state regulators to reconsider the awarding of a permit for Enbridge's proposed $500-million concrete-lined tunnel in the Straits of Mackinac. The court also reaffirmed an earlier judicial ruling that Line 5 trespasses on tribal land.