Fort McMurray Cold Lake MP Laila Goodridge speaks during QP
OTTAWA — Conservatives pushed a House of Commons vote on a new pipeline to the Pacific on Tuesday as they tried to expose divisions inside the Liberal caucus over the energy deal recently signed between Ottawa and Alberta. The motion echoed key elements of the Nov. 27 memorandum of understanding, including support for a bitumen pipeline and potential adjustments to the federal tanker moratorium.
The Liberal government said it would vote against the motion, arguing it selectively cited only parts of the agreement and ignored climate commitments Alberta accepted in the MOU. Ministers said the Conservative move was designed to provoke internal rifts and misrepresent the broader deal, which also includes plans for electricity interties, nuclear development and stronger industrial carbon pricing.
Several Liberal MPs from British Columbia and the party’s progressive wing have criticized the pipeline component, while others insisted the caucus supports the full agreement despite those concerns. Alberta Liberal MPs said the motion risked undermining Indigenous consultation and ongoing negotiations with the province and B.C., a requirement laid out in the MOU.
Conservatives said their motion was aimed at forcing the government to clarify its position. They argued the Liberals were reluctant to publicly support a pipeline they had already endorsed in negotiations with Alberta, suggesting the dispute revealed uncertainty about the government’s long term intentions.
The Liberal decision to oppose the motion means the House will not formally back Poilievre’s proposal, although the government maintains it still supports the path to a privately led, partially Indigenous owned pipeline outlined in the MOU. The vote was scheduled for Tuesday evening.
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