I think it's important to also realize that Canada domestically (outside of Alberta) has been strongly opposed to expanding natural resource exportation[1]. The Kinder Morgan pipeline through BC was ~shut down~[2] - as have been multiple propositions to get the oil out through the maritime provinces. If Alberta had a coast they would never consider the keystone pipeline as an option but this is sort of a effort of last resort - every direction except south wants nothing to do with this and the constantly shifting political winds in America mean it's extremely unlikely that this project would actually be complete while the tar sands remain profitable.
I think it's a bit unfair to talk about this permit being withdrawn without warning when literally every other route open for export has been shut down - it's like asking your dad for candy after your mom said no, they might go along with you for a bit but the outcome is likely to be swayed by the same basic facts.
Isn't the Trans Mountain Pipeline expansion still going ahead?
Didn't the Canadian federal government actually buy the pipeline company, and offer to indemnified any investor for any delays caused by other governments?
Apparently yes, it's unshutdown for the moment - but the NDP provincial government is still impeding it. It's been up and down so many times now I'd lost track.
I think it's a bit unfair to talk about this permit being withdrawn without warning when literally every other route open for export has been shut down - it's like asking your dad for candy after your mom said no, they might go along with you for a bit but the outcome is likely to be swayed by the same basic facts.
1. Existing transportation is also highly problematic, one of the really big questions for Canadians here is whether the additional safety of pipelines is worth the cost to the environment, we've specifically paid that lack of safety cost several times including https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lac-M%C3%A9gantic_rail_disaste... and more generally https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskatoon/lac-megantic-crude-... this is very much not a simple issue in Canada.
2. Oh hey - no it isn't - this is still actively ongoing as pointed out by the comment below