Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre is warning the federal government that the possible end of American sanctions on Venezuelan oil could displace Canadian exports to the U.S. — and is urging the Liberals to “immediately approve a pipeline to the Pacific Coast.”
In a letter to Prime Minister Mark Carney posted on social media Tuesday, Poilievre said the action taken by the United States over the weekend has “altered the global energy landscape.”
U.S. President Donald Trump ordered a military raid on the Venezuelan capital, capturing President Nicolás Maduro and bringing him to New York to face charges. Trump also has openly said that he plans to take control of the country’s oil industry and encourage American companies to revitalize the sector.
Canada and other democracies condemned Maduro after the 2018 and 2024 elections, which were seen as stolen, and after years of human rights abuses.
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Poilievre wrote that Canada was right to refuse to recognize an “illegitimate regime” and said he supports the right of the Venezuelan people to choose their own future.
He warned Venezuela’s heavy crude production “could rapidly rebound to historic levels,” putting it in direct competition with Canada for space in American refineries that specialize in heavy crude.
“Every barrel the United States sources from Venezuela could mean one less barrel these refineries would buy from Canada. We therefore need new markets to sell to, and we need them quickly,” he wrote.
Venezuela has the world’s largest proven crude oil reserves of approximately 303 billion barrels, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration — roughly 17 per cent of all global oil reserves.
Venezuela’s oil industry is in disrepair after years of neglect and international sanctions. Analysts say it could take years and major investments before production can increase dramatically — but some believe the country could double or triple its current output of about 1.1 million barrels a day fairly quickly.
Poilievre pointed out that Carney has not clearly stated support for an oil pipeline to the West Coast of British Columbia and that many Liberal members of Parliament oppose the idea.
The Liberals did sign a memorandum of understanding with the Alberta government in November that commits them to working toward the construction of at least one coastal pipeline to get Alberta bitumen to markets in Asia.
The agreement with Alberta says those pipelines would be constructed and financed by the private sector, with Indigenous communities obtaining benefits and co-ownership.
The agreement also says an application for a pipeline project will be ready to submit to the major projects office — a body that Carney’s government created early in its mandate to speed the approval process for big infrastructure projects — by July 1.
In his letter, Poilievre wrote that the Conservatives are calling on the government to commit to approving that project proposal within 60 days.
On Monday, Alberta Premier Danielle Smith said in a social media post that the events in Venezuela “emphasize the importance that we expedite the development of pipelines to diversify our oil export markets,” including a pipeline to the coast.
Smith said her government is working to submit an application to the major projects office and “expects the federal government to move forward with urgency.”
— With files from The Associated Press
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