At a virtual United States Congress House Energy and Commerce Committee meeting, Saskatchewan’s Premier told members that he is disappointed with the President’s decision to retroactively cancel the Keystone XL pipeline.
Scott Moe believes it is shortsighted.
He explained that the decision has negative consequences for the relationship between the two countries, for the economy on both sides of the border and for the environment, even though environmental concerns is why President Joe Biden decided to retroactively cancel the Presidential Permit.
Moe suggests that oil is going to get to market one way or another, so if it’s not by pipeline it will be by truck or rail, or by purchasing petroleum from a country like Russia, which doesn’t have the same high emissions standards that Canada has.
He says if every nation implemented flaring standards similar to those in Canada and Saskatchewan, greenhouse gas emissions would fall by 25 per cent.
He adds that the Keystone Pipeline would have operated with net zero emissions and would have been fully powered by renewable energy in the near future.

Moe hopes the decision will be reversed and notes the longer term challenge is the precedent that is being set.
He wonders if Presidential Permits can be retroactively removed, will this be the new normal for government operations in the U.S.