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Energy minister fires back at pipeline comments from Joe Biden

Last Updated May 19, 2020 at 8:03 am MDT

PHOTO. Alberta Energy Minister Sonya Savage. MYMCMURRAY/File Photo.

Alberta’s energy minister is disappointed over comments from the man vying to the take the White House from Donald Trump in the next election.

Democratic candidate Joe Biden warned he could cancel the Keystone XL pipeline if he’s elected president.

Minister Sonya Savage argues the United States would benefit from the pipeline and cancelling it is not the right course of action.

“The pipeline is the most studied in American history and has been deemed safe and in the public interest through multiple state and federal reviews, including two under the Obama administration,” said Savage.

Former President Barack Obama vetoed the pipeline before Donald Trump overturned the decision.

RELATED: Biden vowing to rip up Keystone XL approval if elected

“The project will put 12,000 Canadians to work and will generate billions of dollars of employment income for Canadian and U.S. workers at a time when they need it most,” added Savage.

Rather than speculate on the 2020 election, Savage said they will continue to meet with officials in the U.S. as well as TC Energy and the Canadian government promoting and Alberta’s role in supporting North American energy independence.

She added without more Canadian oil, which would flow from Keystone XL, the U.S. would rely on oil from places like Venezuela and could experience the same instability and price wars similar to that from Russia and Saudi Arabia which sent crude prices tanking earlier this year.

“As our closest friend and ally, we would expect the U.S. government, regardless of electoral politics, to respect the Canada-U.S. relationship.”

Construction on the pipeline began in March and once completed will ship 830,000 barrels of crude oil per day from Hardisty, Alta., to Steele City, Neb.