Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird. (Chris Roussakis/QMI Agency file photo)

OTTAWA – Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird will be going in for the hard sell on the Keystone XL pipeline when he sits down with his new U.S. counterpart in the coming weeks.

Baird said Monday he takes “nothing for granted” when it comes to getting the green light from the White House for TransCanada's $7-billion pipeline project that would carry Alberta crude to Texas - the final hurdle for the controversial project.

Following his 15-minute weekend phone conversation with U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry – who was sworn-in Friday – the minister said he didn't yet have a sense which way the decision may go.