Jan. 18 (Bloomberg) — Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper told President Barack Obama in a telephone call today that Canada will seek to diversify its energy exports, after the U.S. rejected a plan to build a pipeline to carry Canadian oil.
Obama called Harper to tell him the U.S. had denied a permit for TransCanada Corp.’s Keystone XL oil pipeline, according to details of the call provided by Harper’s office.
Harper “expressed his profound disappointment with the news,” according to the statement.
Obama told Harper the rejection was not based on the project’s merit and that the company is free to re-apply. Harper told Obama he hoped the project would continue given its importance to growth in both countries.
A Republican Hill staffer sent the report out this evening with the subject line: “Get China on the other line!”
Is this the latest effort by Obama to "restore" respect for our nation and positive relations with our staunchest allies?
Or is this his latest effort to create and save jobs in the United States?
No strong relationship with any ally, and no jobs anywhere in this country, can be safe and secure until Obama loses his job.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseI am in Canada right now, and the attitude up here is not at all negative. Sorry to disappoint you all, but Canadians are cheerfully sanguine about this for a number of reasons:
1.) Various sections of the pipeline are fully operational and I gather that significant amounts of gas and oil are already moving briskly southward through at least 7 different branches
2.) Canadians adore Barack Obama, and pretty much think he can do no wrong
3.) Canadian are very tuned into American politics and blame this glitch on Republican shenanigans, trying to force Obama's hand and make him bypass environmental concerns (which are very important to Canadians.) They serenely...and correctly... believe the new leg of the pipeline will go ahead as soon as the studies are properly completed, Obama is re-elected and Republicans have given up posturing and trying to push him around.
So... no big deal up here. The markets, including the heavily-weighted energy sector, didn't even falter at the news.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseThank God Canadians can't vote in American elections! When Obama is defeated in 2012 maybe his adoring Canucks can make Obama a citizen and elect him God-Emperor of Canada. He won't be missed in the USA. When God-Emperor Obama wrecks the Canadian economy the way he is wrecking ours here in the USA, please don't ask us to take him back.
Lewis Forro
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LOL... of course no one at TCPL is upset? Right...and Canadians are unanimous in their opinions....what province do you live in?
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseThis statement today from TCPL pretty much summarizes the overall Canadian attitude...
“While we are disappointed, TransCanada remains fully committed to the construction of Keystone XL. Plans are already underway on a number of fronts to largely maintain the construction schedule of the project. We will re-apply for a presidential permit and expect a new application would be processed in an expedited manner to allow for an in-service date of late 2014.”
— Russ Girling, president and chief executive, TransCanada Corp., in a statement January 18
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseTranslation - Obama will approve the pipeline after he is reelected and doesn't need the campaign donations from the Greenies.
We Americans also love the Canadians, particularly after you were smart enough to elect conservative politicians to try to solve the problems the progressives have caused for you. I wish our Corporate Tax Rate was as low as yours.
No joking, you are free to adopt the One.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseBS, you have no clue what the overall Canadian attitude is, including the Alberta PM, who was ticked off today - called out the Obama State Department, specifically. Not the (R)s in Congress. Obama is blaming them, of course, which gets reported, which is interpreted by hacks like you as being the gospel truth.
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If they re-apply, great. It's just wasted time and money for both sides.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseWhen filistro speaks about "all Canadians", he's actually talking about those Canadians who still talk to him.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseSilli Fili,
Typical Lefty - insular arrogance convincing him that he 1) knows best, and 2) knows all.
So you really know what everyone's thinking? Soooo, I guess that means you know what I'm thinking right now, right? Ouch! - don't take it too personally.
Reply to this commentLinkReport Abusecard carrying member of the NDP?
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseCould you do us Canadians a favour please? Stop acting as if you can speak for 30 million people. You're in Canada (not even Canadian) and so somehow you have your finger on the pulse of our nation? lol. That is truly laughable. You have no idea what Canadians think. Where are you located? Toronto or Vancouver (heart of liberal-land)? I doubt you're well-connected to Canadian oil country.
Canadians do NOT "adore" BO. Some like him, some do not. Being a left-leaning country, I would guess that it's somewhere around 60/40 in his favour.
It is an important issue here, though not hugely so, depending on who you speak to.
Blame it on Republicans? lmao. The average Canadian doesn't know what a Republican is. This is a figment of your imagination or the comments of left-leaning, urban (well-read/informed) Canadians. Again, Toronto or Vancouver.
Speaking about Canada as if it's one country is as silly as referring to all of the USA as being of one mind. Quite a difference between New Yorkers and Texans, no?
Reply to this commentLinkReport Abusefillistro, you may get that impression if you just tune into the CBC. Watch SunNews and you will get a completely diffrent opinion on what Canadians think of Obama and his policies.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseRe: A Republican Hill staffer sent the report out this evening with the subject line: “Get China on the other line!”
I'm sure Jon Huntsman has China on speed dial...
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseHow do we know the president wasn't already on the phone to China? Perhaps they "suggested" that the president not approve the pipeline or else risk having a few loans called. The Chinese prefer to maintain our economic dependence on them. As long as they have that over our heads, we are essentially their pawns.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseI'll defer to people more learned in the history and theory of the Monroe Doctrine, but it seems to me on the face of it that Obama, in encouraging the Canadians to become major oil suppliers to China, may be in the process of precipitating in the long-term a Monroe Doctrine crisis.
If China were to become majorly dependent on New World (Canadian) oil supplies, at some time in the future they could decide that the Western Hemisphere was a vital national security interest for them, and might proceed to make far-reaching military (and diplomatic) plans accordingly.
I put it to this community that this would very much not be in the national interest of the United States, and it seems to me that such a showdown would significantly weaken our long-standing Monroe Doctrine prerogatives.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseThis is a ready made tv ad against the one.
The decision was not based on merit? Then what in heck IS it based on. Well we all know. And if the GOP was smart they'd run this non-stop in states where the jobs Would have been.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseAnother sterling example of obama siding with our enemies and rejecting our allies.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseAnd he'll win in November?? Ha!
Hurts America. Helps China.
For Obama, that counts as a two-fer.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseHow much anyone want to bet that Obama passes this application upon resubmission from Canada? I'm sure it will perfectly coincide with the election so that he gets the most bounce from it. Then he'll act all morally superior and judicious and talk about how he put the breaks on the irresponsible Republican rush to pass this thing without vetting it properly, and how he, conversely, carefully studied the project to make sure the proper environment safeguards were in place, to make sure minorities were brought to the table, that the Indians were consulted, blah, blah, blah. Then the mainstream media and PBS will report how Obama "creates jobs and spurs the economy the right, responsible [i.e., not Republican] way."
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