Canada: minister says Covid-19 lockdown a 'great time' to build pipeline

Environmental advocates have reacted with outrage after a provincial energy minister in Canada said that coronavirus restrictions on public gatherings make it a “great time” to push on with a contentious pipeline project.

During a podcast hosted by the Canadian Association of Oilwell Drilling Contractors, Alberta’s energy minister Sonya Savage was asked about the Trans Mountain expansion project, which is under construction despite despite fierce opposition from environmentalists and some Indigenous groups.

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“Now is a great time to be building a pipeline because you can’t have protests of more than 15 people,” Savage said.

“People are not going to have tolerance and patience for protests that get in the way of people working. People need jobs and those types of ideological protests that get in the way are not going to be tolerated by ordinary Canadians.”

Her comments prompted disbelief and indignation among environmentalists.

“Wait, she said the true part out loud – they’re literally using covid as a cover to build pipelines because they know protest is impossible,” tweeted the prominent climate activist Bill McKibben, who has long voiced opposition to the project.

Walking Eagle News, an Indigenous satirical news site, tweeted: “We didn’t write this one. But holy shit, do we wish we had.”

After months of protest, Justin Trudeau, the prime minister, announced in May 2018 that his government would buy the $3.45bn project from Texas-based Kinder Morgan to ensure it was completed.

Canada’s finance minister at the time described the Trans Mountain expansion as a project as a “vital interest” for the country. Trudeau’s government has also said it is keen to sell the project to investors – including a number of First Nations business coalitions.

But continuing protests and court battles have slowed the project, much to the frustration of the current conservative government in Alberta, which is eager to see the project completed.

In February, the government introduced controversial legislation that would levy heavy fines – and even jail time – for protesters who looking to disrupt energy infrastructure projects. The bill has passed and needs royal assent to come into force.