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Liberals vote against motion calling on Canada to export more natural gas to Europe

Posted on March 22, 2022

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

OTTAWA - While so many countries are doing all they can to condemn Putin’s illegal invasion of Ukraine, yesterday the Liberals voted against a Conservative motion which would have called on the government to undertake measures to allow Canadian natural gas to be exported to Europe to displace Russian gas.

“When you consider today’s announcement of a Liberal-NDP collaboration which will see both sides force their so-called ‘areas of agreement’ onto Canadians, the Liberals’ vote against yesterday’s motion to export Canadian natural gas certainly makes a lot more sense,” said Cathay Wagantall, Member of Parliament for Yorkton-Melville. “Canada is the fifth-largest natural gas producer in the world, but we cannot get gas to tidewater to assist European democracies because we cannot get pipelines built.”

During Prime Minister Trudeau’s recent trip, European leaders raised the prospect of replacing Russian-supplied natural gas with Canadian natural gas. Russia currently supplies 40 per cent of Europe’s natural gas, but if Putin cuts those energy supplies, people will freeze, factories will shutter and Europe’s economy will grind to a halt.

“NATO allies like Germany understand the urgency of weaning Europe off Russian gas,” said Wagantall, referring to the expedited construction of two new German LNG terminals, which will help reduce dependence on Russian gas imports. “There is no reason that the Putin regime should be allowed to blackmail our European allies when Canada is in a position to provide low-carbon natural gas.”

Wagantall said that Conservative Members of Parliament will continue to propose strong, constructive measures to counter Russia’s aggression and to support Ukraine, despite the Liberal-NDP back-room deal.

“We call on the government to fulfil Canada’s NATO defense commitments in the upcoming budget and at this week’s NATO summit,” said Wagantall. “We call on the government to acknowledge that Canada’s energy supplies are vital to our security and that of Europe’s, and we urge the Trudeau government to work more closely with NATO allies, particularly on energy security.”

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For more information:

Office of Cathay Wagantall, MP
[email protected]
(613) 297-0173