More support for pipeline
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EDMONTON -- The Keystone XL pipeline denial was "a real shame," says a former U.S. ambassador to Canada.
"It's an example of bad politics trumping good policy. (President Barack Obama) played to his environmental base and they wanted him to reject it and he delayed it for 15 months," said David Wilkins.
The 25-year Republican state legislature politician served a four-year term as U.S. ambassador to Canada under president George W. Bush.
Wilkins has said Canadian-U.S. trade is the largest trading relationship in the modern world and his goal as ambassador was dedicated to "strengthening the ties that bind our two great nations."
"We hope he'll (Obama) approve it if he gets re-elected," he said.
Wilkins' comments come on the heels of Republican presidential candidate Newt Gingrich promising swift approval of the line if he wins the presidency.
"I want the Canadians to know that the minute I'm sworn in, they can build a less expensive, better, easier pipeline to Houston, which is better for our jobs, better for our energy security, better for Canada and is the kind of relationship we should have with our northern neighbour," said Gingrich at a rally Monday, also promising to approve the line on the first day of his presidency.
Wilkins is a Mitt Romney supporter, but said any Republican candidate would ensure that the pipeline is built.
The $7-billion TransCanada project would transport oil from Alberta's oilsands to the Gulf of Mexico to the tune of 700,000 barrels of crude each day.
It's estimated the project will create more than 20,000 jobs for out of work Americans.
Alberta Premier Alison Redford has taken heat for choosing to not actively lobby U.S. lawmakers for the line's approval, saying it's unfair for outside forces to step into a country's regulatory process.
Even after the U.S. State Department rejected the project, Redford said she is doing everything possible to ensure the project's second application is approved.
"We're going to continue supporting where we can, taking a look right now at where the best places to be having that input is and I think that in the next month or so I think there there is an opportunity to spend some time with congressional leaders again," said Redford.
"People, as am I, are still very optimistic that we can get this done."
tanara.mclean@sunmedia.ca
@SunTanaraMcLean
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