Alberta premier-designate Jim Prentice has clout in U.S.: Doer

CALGARY—Canada’s ambassador to the U.S. says Alberta premier-designate Jim Prentice carries a lot of clout in Washington, where a parade of top federal and provincial officials have failed in pushing for the long-stalled Keystone XL pipeline.

“Premier-elect Prentice is very well respected in the United States,” Gary Doer said in an interview.

Doer said Prentice brings some green credibility to the file. For instance, in 2010, when Prentice was the federal environment minister, he worked with his U.S. counterparts on a deal for tougher light vehicle emissions standards.

“He goes into this job already bringing in one of the biggest reductions in greenhouse gas emissions,” Doer said.

“He knows the people and he’s worked and got agreements before. The premier-elect is very effective in Washington—believe me.”

Prentice, who was a senior executive at the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce after leaving federal politics, was chosen as leader of the Alberta’s governing Progressive Conservative party this past weekend.

During her tenure as premier, Alison Redford made numerous trips to Washington to make the case for Keystone XL, which would link 830,000 barrels per day of mostly oilsands crude to U.S. markets. Six years after its backer, Calgary-based TransCanada Corp., filed its application, the proposal still remains mired in the U.S. regulatory process.

Much of the consternation over Keystone XL and similar proposals is over what would flow in the pipeline: oilsands crude. Environmental groups see Keystone XL as a key enabler to further development of Alberta’s oilsands—and the increase in greenhouse gas emissions that would come with that.

Many have argued that the continued lack of federal greenhouse gas regulations for the oilsands in Canada has made the sales pitch for Keystone XL in the U.S. more difficult.

In the past, when trying to sell the U.S. on Keystone XL, Canada relied on the argument that it can provide a stable, reliable supply of oil and “that we weren’t petro-dictators,” Doer said earlier at a conference in Calgary hosted by Swiss technology giant ABB Group.

“And to some degree, some false narratives were developed against the oilsands about 10 years ago that we’ve had to work hard to knock down. Have we knocked them all down? No.”

Doer said a court case in Nebraska over whether the governor has the authority approve Keystone XL’s route through the state shouldn’t prevent the Obama administration from making a decision on the pipeline.

“I think they could approve it today based on the fact that the border, the international crossing, which the president has international jurisdiction on, is in Montana and not in Nebraska,” he said.

As for whether he believes Keystone XL will be approved before Barack Obama’s second term as president ends, Doer said it was a toss-up.

“I think if he listens to scientists…the answer is yes,” he said in the interview. “If he goes with who’s loudest, who knows?”