Pipelines: Trudeau says his job is to bring people together

The federal government’s role is not to force cities such as Montreal to accept energy projects, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Tuesday, a day after his opponents demanded he tell the city’s mayor to “smarten up” and accept the controversial Energy East pipeline.

Trudeau met with Denis Coderre for 45 minutes Tuesday to discuss a range of issues including the recent decision by the Montreal mayor and the organization that represents area municipalities to reject the 4,600kilometre pipeline. The prime minister said his government will create a review process whereby energy companies get a chance to prove to cities and towns across the country that a project is in their best interests.

“The responsibility of the federal government is to establish a clear process whereby people can evaluate the projects in a rigorous and open manner,” Trudeau said.

He added the new review rules will include additional requirements forcing energy companies to “take into account all greenhouse gas emissions, including those upstream.”

The Conservatives have accused Trudeau of lacking leadership on the energy file.

Opposition Leader Rona Ambrose says Trudeau should be championing pipelines and calling on Coderre and other mayors to accept Energy East to enable Alberta’s oilsands to be able to be shipped overseas.

Conservative MP Candice Bergen told Trudeau in the Commons on Monday to “call Mr. Coderre and tell him to smarten up.”

Trudeau showed no signs he told Coderre anything of the sort and added to reporters his government’s new review process for pipelines and energy projects is on its way — but gave no timeline.