Statement by Minister Joly on Line 5 transit pipeline

August 29, 2022 – Ottawa, Ontario – Global Affairs Canada

The Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Foreign Affairs, issued the following statement:

“More than ever, Canada is firmly committed to ensuring its energy and economic security, while taking important steps to fight climate change and protect the environment for future generations.

“In recent months, Canada has raised its serious concerns regarding the possible shutting down of the Line 5 pipeline on the Bad River Band Reservation in northern Wisconsin. The economic and energy disruption and damage to Canada and the U.S. from a Line 5 shutdown would be widespread and significant. This would impact energy prices, such as propane for heating homes and the price of gas at the pump. At a time when global inflation is making it hard on families to make ends meet, these are unacceptable outcomes. 

“The Government of Canada is also worried about the domino effects the shutdown would have on the jobs of thousands of Canadians working not only in the oil industry but in interconnected areas of our economy. The shutdown could have a major impact on a number of communities on both sides of the border that depend on the wellbeing of businesses along the supply chain. 

“Today, Canada is formally invoking, for the second time in relation to the operation of Line 5, the dispute settlement provision of the 1977 Agreement between the Government of Canada and the Government of the United States of America Concerning Transit Pipelines. Similar to the situation in the Straits of Mackinac in Michigan, the segment of the Line 5 pipeline in Wisconsin falls under the provisions of the 1977 Agreement. This treaty ensures the uninterrupted transmission of hydrocarbons—in the case of Line 5, light crude oil and natural gas liquids—from one place in Canada to another, transiting through the United States. 

“Canada strongly supports Enbridge’s proposal to relocate this segment of Line 5 outside and around the Bad River Band Reservation.

 “Canada respects the rights and interests of Indigenous peoples, such as the Bad River Band’s governance of their territory as a U.S. Tribe. In the forthcoming negotiations with the United States under the treaty, Canada is committed to working constructively to find a solution that responds to the interests of communities, respects Canada’s rights under the treaty and ensures the continued and safe supply of energy to central Canada.

 “Line 5 not only helps provide energy that is essential for empowering a resilient Canadian economy, it also supplies energy to business owners and residents in the Midwestern United States, including Wisconsin. Canada and the United States share a vision for a sustainable and inclusive economic growth that strengthens the middle class, creates more opportunities for them, and ensures people have good jobs and careers on both sides of the border. Both Canadians and Americans expect their governments to strengthen Canada-U.S. supply chain security and work to reinforce our deeply interconnected and mutually beneficial economic relationship.”