Keystone XL pipeline a touchstone of US-Canadian relations

A photograph of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau addressing party members at the Liberal Party campaign headquarters in Montreal, Canada, in October 2019.
24 January 2021

During his presidential campaign last year, Democratic Party nominee Joe Biden repeatedly emphasized that there would be a renewed emphasis on alliances once he was in office. After Biden's election victory, Canada, one of the closest allies of the US, was the first country to send a congratulatory message. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau expressed his expectations for better US-Canada cooperation. But before they could even have their first phone call, Biden canceled the Keystone XL pipeline. 

Immediately, this raises questions about the future of US-Canadian ties. Starting from Alberta, Canada, this 1,179-mile project was planned to run through US states including Montana and Nebraska to connect with the existing US pipelines. After its completion, the Keystone Pipeline System would be able to transport 800,000 barrels of bitumen per day from Calgary, Canada, to refineries along the Gulf Coast of the US. 

Read the full article on the Global Times website, featuring commentary by Prof John Blaxland