Liberals vote against Poilievre's pipeline motion, calling it 'immature' and an 'insult'

The progressive authorities voted against conservativist Leader capital of south dakota Poilievre's question Tuesday calling for a new oil pipeline to the Pacific — but ministers insisted it doesn't mean Ottawa has given up on the memorandum of understanding signed with Alberta last month.

Poilievre's motion, which lifts some of the language included in that agreement brokered between Prime Minister Mark Carney and Alberta Premier Danielle Smith, called for MPs to back at least one pipeline that moves a million barrels of Alberta bitumen to the coast for export to Asia. 

The motion was defeated 196 to 139, with the Bloc, NDP and Greens voting with the Liberals.

The Conservatives brought forward this non-binding motion to show divisions in the Liberal caucus on the issue — a divide the Opposition says puts the possibility of a pipeline at risk. 

With some Liberal MPs skittish, Poilievre also framed this motion as a chance for the prime minister to shut down what he called his "keep it in the ground" caucus.

Speaking in the House of Commons Tuesday, Poilievre said his motion, which he later amended to include a reference to working with Indigenous peoples and B.C., uses "wording right out of the prime minister's MOU to make it easy for him" to vote yes.

He said the government is making "excuses" to vote against the motion and appease anti-pipeline members of the caucus.

But the federal ministers responsible for implementing the agreement with Alberta dismissed the Conservative manoeuvre as a stunt that accomplishes nothing.

Natural Resources Minister Tim Hodgson told reporters that Poilievre's motion "cherry-picks" language from the MOU.

He said that memorandum was "a comprehensive agreement," and Poilievre's motion is focused on only one aspect — the possible pipeline — when there's other parts to it, such as electricity interties to neighbouring provinces, nuclear energy development and a multi-billion-dollar carbon capture project.

The motion is also silent on some environmental issues Smith agreed to address, like the industrial carbon tax and methane reduction regulations.

"Canadians see the motion put forward today for what it is: it's a cynical ploy to divide us," Hodgson said.

Rather than surface some handpicked sections, Carney dared Poilievre to table the entirety of the MOU for a Commons vote and stand against what Smith, a Poilievre ally, has negotiated.

"I'm not a lifelong member of this House so I don't know all the rules. But I don't think there's a limit on the size of motions," Carney said in question period, poking at Poilievre's long parliamentary tenure.

Carney said the MOU is more than the sum of its parts — a pipeline, which he supports, will only go ahead if other conditions in that deal are met. "You have to eat the entire meal, not just the appetizer," Carney said.

WATCH | Conservatives plan House vote to test pipeline support among Liberals:

Conservatives plan House vote to test pipeline support among Liberals

While some Liberal MPs like Steven Guilbeault and Patrick Weiler have expressed concern about what Carney has agreed to — framing the MOU as an assault on the country's climate goals — Hodgson insisted "the caucus is supportive of the entire MOU."

Hodgson said developing Canada's natural resources is the best card the country can play while it grapples with a U.S. Trade war that has already caused job losses, plant closures and economic uncertainty.

"We have some fantastic cards," Hodgson said.

Indigenous Services Minister Mandy Gull-Masty was also pointed in her criticism of Poilievre, saying the Conservative motion is "an immature waste of parliamentary time."

She said it's "clearly an insult towards Indigenous Peoples," because it leaves out some important language in the MOU relating to First Nations, Métis and Inuit.

The Canada-Alberta agreement calls for Indigenous consultation and, where appropriate, accommodation — and the possibility for Indigenous co-ownership of whatever gets built.

"This motion is, for me, really an intensive method to be disrespectful to Indigenous people," Gull-Masty said.

WATCH | Minister calls motion a 'waste of parliamentary time’:

Indigenous services minister calls Conservative pipeline motion 'immature waste of parliamentary time'

Even after Poilievre moved to amend the motion to include a reference to the MOU's language about Indigenous co-ownership, carbon capture and working with B.C. To get the project done — the Liberals signalled they would vote against it because it failed to mention the environmental-related aspects of the "grand bargain" Carney reached with Smith, including the higher industrial carbon tax designed to lower oilpatch emissions.

"Pierre Poilievre is not acting as a serious leader," said Liberal Alberta MP Corey Hogan. "This is designed to poke at people."

"It's a very frustrating motion for anybody who wants to see a pipeline built, such as myself. It's designed to be a trap for the Liberals, but it's at the expense of the country and it's at the expense of our national economy," Hogan said.

He said voting yes could be seen as undermining forthcoming Indigenous consultation and negotiations with B.C. And voting no could be interpreted as the Liberals backtracking on a pipeline — something he said simply wasn't the case.

"We do support the pipeline. The pipeline is in the MOU. We support the entire MOU. This game-playing puts at risk the very thing that Pierre Poilievre purports to want," Hogan said.

"Make no mistake, this government supports the ability for a pipeline to be built by a private proponent with the support and consultation of the Indigenous people who are affected," added Liberal MP Kody Blois, the parliamentary secretary to Carney.

'This game-playing is ridiculous' says Alberta Liberal MP on Opposition pipeline motion

Still, the Conservatives said the Liberal decision to vote against this motion leaves Canadians uncertain about the government's commitment to a pipeline.

Conservative MP Ellis Ross, himself a First Nations leader from the Haisla Nation in B.C., accused the Liberals of saying one thing in B.C. And another in Alberta. For example, some Liberal MPs have said affected First Nations and B.C. Must "consent" before the project gets the green light — language that is not included in the MOU.

"Canadians deserve an answer — yes or no," Ross said of a pipeline decision.

"This is the first opportunity for the Liberals to tell the truth about their intentions to build Canada strong, to turn us into an energy superpower," he said. "It depends on what audience sits in front of the prime minister."

The prime minister will sit down soon with the Coastal First Nations, an alliance of nine First Nations diametrically opposed to a pipeline to the B.C. Coast.

Speaking to reporters at a news conference held Tuesday to oppose Poilievre's motion, Gaagwiis, the president of Haida Nation, said he can't support a project that could pose "a significant risk to our way of being."

The proposed pipeline could result in more tankers in the Hecate Strait near that nation's territory on Haida Gwaii — although a route hasn't been decided.

"We do want to work together and be partners and find areas of common interest and alignment. Unfortunately, the oil pipeline is not one of those areas," he said.

Other Indigenous leaders meanwhile, including Stephen Buffalo, the president and CEO of the Alberta-based Indian Resource Council, have said some First Nations are excited about the prospect of a pipeline that could deliver more money and jobs.

"It's been a struggle for a long time for First Nations to find different ways to create wealth for their community — to deal with all those social issues that they may have," Buffalo said in an interview.

WATCH | The Power Panel breaks down the pipeline motion:

Poilievre says Conservative pipeline motion forces ‘Liberals to put up or shut up’

Carney's MOU with Smith lays out a path forward for a bitumen pipeline to the coast.

The agreement stresses that this pipeline will be privately constructed and financed — unlike the publicly owned Trans Mountain — and the intention is to have some Indigenous co-ownership.

Ottawa is prepared to designate this pipeline a project of "national interest," which triggers powers under the Building Canada Act which Carney's government passed in June.

That designation means the pipeline — and possibly the tankers associated with transporting the oil — could be exempted from some federal laws.

Once some Indigenous consultation and negotiations with B.C. Take place, Alberta, as the current proponent of this pipeline, will present its plan for the pipeline to the Major Projects Office (MPO) for expedited review by July 1.

According to Alberta officials, the intention is to get shovels in the ground on this project by 2029.

"We will build big, we will build fast, we will build bold again. We used to take risks in this country. We will step up to the plate again," Carney said in announcing the MOU.

Senior reporter

Add some “good” to your morning and evening.

The environment is changing. This newsletter is your weekly guide to what we’re doing about it.

---

---