The Harper government’s campaign to get the Keystone XL pipeline built received a boost from two American sources this week.
Joe Dick 25 minutes ago
The Harper government’s campaign to get the Keystone XL pipeline built received a boost from two American sources this week.
First, billionaire Barack Obama supporter Warren Buffet said the Keystone XL pipeline delivering bitumen from Alberta’s oilsands to the Gulf Coast should have been approved by now and the U.S. refusal to do so risks damaging relations with Canada.
Second the Washington Post gave the U.S. president its worst possible “Four Pinocchios” rating for refusing to approve Keystone for almost six years.
“Four Pinocchios,” as explained by Glenn Kessler who writes the Post’s regular “Fact Checker” feature, means the individual being scrutinized is telling “whoppers.”
Or, if you prefer, lies.
As the Canadian Press noted, Buffet’s support of Keystone is significant since his investments in the U.S. rail industry and his friendship with Obama previously resulted in the widely held perception he was opposed to Keystone XL and in favour of transporting bitumen by rail.
But in an interview with CNBC, Buffet -- who says his shares of Berkshire Hathaway stock have gone up almost 2,000,000% over the last 50 years -- was unequivocal.
He said Canada has been “a terrific partner to the United States over the decades” and “to thumb our nose” at it is wrong.
“I would have passed Keystone,” Buffet said. “I think that we have an enormous interest in working with Canada, as they have in working with us. That oil is going to get sold. If we make it more difficult for them, who knows how they’ll feel about making things more difficult for us some day?”
The Post’s Fact Checker criticized Obama for claiming Keystone only benefits Canada because the oil it delivers will simply pass through the United States before being exported abroad.
It noted that’s untrue and ignores the findings of Obama’s own State Department, which has the lead role in reviewing Keystone and has concluded much of the oil it delivers will be used in the United States.
The completion of Keystone will also benefit U.S. oil producers in North Dakota and Montana in getting their oil to the Gulf Coast, as well as American companies operating in the oilsands, where they control about 30% of production.
All of these facts undermine Obama’s contention that only Canadians will benefit from the pipeline, according to the Post.
The Fact Checker feature doesn’t take a position for or against Keystone and has been critical of all sides in the debate for spreading inaccuracies.
For example, it recently awarded Three Pinocchios to pipeline developer TransCanada Corp. -- meaning a significant factual error or obvious contradiction -- for arguing Keystone will reduce America’s reliance on foreign oil, since Canadian oil is, in fact, foreign oil.
But what it does indicate is a growing awareness in the United States that Obama is simply making up excuses as he goes along for not approving Keystone that don’t stand up to scrutiny.
First, billionaire Barack Obama supporter Warren Buffet said the Keystone XL pipeline delivering bitumen from Alberta’s oilsands to the Gulf Coast should have been approved by now and the U.S. refusal to do so risks damaging relations with Canada.
Second the Washington Post gave the U.S. president its worst possible “Four Pinocchios” rating for refusing to approve Keystone for almost six years.
“Four Pinocchios,” as explained by Glenn Kessler who writes the Post’s regular “Fact Checker” feature, means the individual being scrutinized is telling “whoppers.”
Or, if you prefer, lies.
As the Canadian Press noted, Buffet’s support of Keystone is significant since his investments in the U.S. rail industry and his friendship with Obama previously resulted in the widely held perception he was opposed to Keystone XL and in favour of transporting bitumen by rail.
But in an interview with CNBC, Buffet -- who says his shares of Berkshire Hathaway stock have gone up almost 2,000,000% over the last 50 years -- was unequivocal.
He said Canada has been “a terrific partner to the United States over the decades” and “to thumb our nose” at it is wrong.
“I would have passed Keystone,” Buffet said. “I think that we have an enormous interest in working with Canada, as they have in working with us. That oil is going to get sold. If we make it more difficult for them, who knows how they’ll feel about making things more difficult for us some day?”
The Post’s Fact Checker criticized Obama for claiming Keystone only benefits Canada because the oil it delivers will simply pass through the United States before being exported abroad.
It noted that’s untrue and ignores the findings of Obama’s own State Department, which has the lead role in reviewing Keystone and has concluded much of the oil it delivers will be used in the United States.
The completion of Keystone will also benefit U.S. oil producers in North Dakota and Montana in getting their oil to the Gulf Coast, as well as American companies operating in the oilsands, where they control about 30% of production.
All of these facts undermine Obama’s contention that only Canadians will benefit from the pipeline, according to the Post.
The Fact Checker feature doesn’t take a position for or against Keystone and has been critical of all sides in the debate for spreading inaccuracies.
For example, it recently awarded Three Pinocchios to pipeline developer TransCanada Corp. -- meaning a significant factual error or obvious contradiction -- for arguing Keystone will reduce America’s reliance on foreign oil, since Canadian oil is, in fact, foreign oil.
But what it does indicate is a growing awareness in the United States that Obama is simply making up excuses as he goes along for not approving Keystone that don’t stand up to scrutiny.
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