Canada’s ambassador to the U.S is hopeful the Republican takeover of Congress will lead to approval of the long-delayed Keystone XL pipeline.
“I think the ability to get a compromise is more available to the United States decision makers,” Gary Doer told radio host John Catsimatidis in an interview Sunday on New York’s 970 AM’s “The Cats Roundtable.”
{mosads}He pointed to Tuesday’s midterm elections where Republicans regained the upper chamber as a positive sign, but expressed concern that President Obama would kill the project, which would carry crude oil from Alberta to Gulf refineries.
“The president still has two more years and he has a lot of power,” he quipped.
Doer blamed outgoing Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) for killing a bi-partisan Senate bill that would have allowed Keystone to proceed, after it passed in the House.
“Unfortunately, it was blocked. The majority leader wouldn’t let it happen. We think with the new Senate and the American public delivering a message that they want a can-do government, hopefully, we can get the compromise,” he said.
In Saturday’s Republican address, Speaker John Bohener (R-Ohio) signaled the House would start the next term with legislation approving the controversial pipeline, which has been under consideration for six years and would transport more than 800,000 barrels of oil per day to the Gulf Coast.