Trump’s protectionist inaugural address sparks concerns in Canada’s oilpatch
CALGARY — Donald Trump’s fiercely protectionist inaugural address is a clarion call for Canada to nurture its relationships with other countries and do everything possible to access markets abroad, the head of the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers said Friday.
Tim McMillan said he made it a point to attend Trump’s inauguration as president in Washington in part due to concerns that U.S. policy changes could threaten Canada’s energy industry. He said he also met later with U.S. industry and Canadian government officials.
“I think it’s a bit of a wake-up call that we need to strengthen our relationships on energy with other countries,” McMillan said of Trump’s speech, adding that it reinforces the need to proceed with projects such as the Trans Mountain expansion and Energy East to get Canada’s wealth of oil riches to tidewater.
Trump’s remarks, which were high on rhetoric but short on details, stressed a pro-America approach — a reminder that Canada is sometimes not “front of mind” for the U.S. despite a highly integrated oil and gas network between the two countries, McMillan said.