NDP Vote AGAINST Keystone XL Study at Indigenous Affairs Committee

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

February 2, 2020

Barrhead, AB: Today, Peace River – Westlock MP Arnold Viersen moved his motion to study the impact of the cancellation of Keystone XL and potential closure of Line 5 during a Standing Committee on Indigenous and Northern Affairs meeting.

That, pursuant to Standing Order 108(2), the committee undertake a study on the cancellation of the Keystone XL pipeline and the potential loss of the Line 5 pipeline in northern and Indigenous communities, that the study take into account but not be limited to the impact on Indigenous businesses, jobs, economic prosperity, self-determination, and mutual benefit agreements as well as the efforts of the federal government to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and that the committee report its findings to the House.

At Committee, the NDP joined the Liberals to defeat MP Viersen’s motion. MP Viersen’s comments following the vote:

“Keystone XL and Line 5 are important for getting Alberta oil to market. These projects affect many jobs in our northern and Indigenous communities. This was an important opportunity for us to support Albertan jobs.

“The Liberal opposition to my motion was not a surprise. While they claim to support pipelines, Trudeau’s government has done everything they can to landlock our oil.

“In Alberta, Rachel Notley and the NDP claim they support the Keystone XL pipeline and Indigenous self-determination, the fact is, when push comes to shove, their federal NDP cousins are blocking economic prosperity for indigenous and northern communities.”

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