Hosed: Canada Buys an Empty Pipeline

Caveat Emptor - Buyer Beware

by Betty Krawczyk - Betty's Early Edition

Sept. 3, 2018

We bought Trudeau. In return he bought us a pipeline. Well, Trudeau didn’t buy the Trans Mountain pipe line. We did.

First, I want to say how proud I am of the First Nations people involved in the struggle against the Trans Mountain pipe line. They were spectacular. They stood for all of us (or at least the majority of us).

And yes, so did the others on the blockade lines, especially the older women. Been there, done that, so know how miserable it can be.

The federal verdict was a surprising and most wonderful federal ruling. But there is, as always, a down side. It seems that the Canadian people are now the proud owners of a $4.5 billion pipeline that probably will never be built.

Reasons? 

The judge’s rulings have to do primarily with two things that weren’t done properly by Kinder Morgan.

There was the lack of a review on marine shipping (impact on sea life) and failure of duty to consult Indigenous people. Are these two conditions likely to change if another company wants to buy in? I doubt it.

The whales and dolphins won’t disappear from the federal judicial view, and I think that Indigenous people, having spoken, won’t be struck silent by a “flipper”, as Trudeau called a potential buyer of the pipeline. I think we are going to be stuck with $ 4.5 billion debt that cannot retrace its steps and will have to be incorporated into the national budget.

Trudeau is actually in a very bad position. If he doesn’t manage to flip the pipeline, it will remain his failed legacy forever. And if, miracle upon miracles, he does manage to sell it, the protesters of all stripes, both First Nations and their supporters, will be waiting.

As the old saying goes: Caveat emptor - buyer beware.