Sarnia's mayor says municipal, provincial, and national representation must be unified to defend Enbridge's Line 5 pipeline.
Mike Bradley said Ontario's premier and minister of external affairs for Canada have warned the export of electricity and energy could be challenged if U.S. President-elect Donald Trump imposes a 25 per cent tariff on Canadian goods.
"This line has gone through a lot of turmoil in the last five years," said Bradley. "We've been trying to save it. There's thousands of jobs not just in Sarnia, in Ontario, in Quebec, and ironically in Michigan... and if they're going to get into this retaliation game, they should be prepared that consequences could be severe in a sense of what could happen to Line 5."
Bradley said the province's Minister of Energy and Electrification Stephen Lecce was up to date on the issue during their recent meeting.
"The minister was knowledgeable. He had been to Washington and talked to the Biden administration and this topic had been discussed," said Bradley. "I will say that my dealings through federal ministers with the Biden administration were very positive. They understood the issue. The issue has always been the governor of Michigan who has been stubborn and trying to close this line down, which ironically supplies jet fuel to Detroit airport and propane in northern Michigan."
Bradley said local industries rely on the pipeline, which could be targeted in a trade war.
He said he'll continue to press the provincial and federal governments to include border city mayors in any discussions.
"We need that unified Canadian approach, because right now we've got different premiers in different provinces saying different things and with a huge gap of power and leadership at the federal level... it's making it very easy for the Americans to get ready to bring in this tariff," Bradley said.
Lecce met with Bradley earlier this week following the annual Breakfast with MPP Bob Bailey event.
Line 5, which runs between Superior, Wisconsin and Sarnia, carries crude oil and natural gas liquids used in propane to industries in the city, and elsewhere in the province and Quebec. In the past Enbridge said Line 5 will continue to operate safely while it focuses on plans to construct a 6.4 kilometre tunnel to replace the lines beneath the Straits of Mackinac.