Using Canadian oil as a bargaining chip could backfire, warns policy expert
Heather Exner-Pirot cautions that weaponising Canada’s oil exports against the United States would likely harm Canadian producers and invite retaliation.
During an interview on the ongoing Canada-U.S. trade disagreement, Heather Exner-Pirot of the Macdonald-Laurier Institute warned that turning Canada’s energy exports into a weapon would likely backfire. She argued that an oil export tax or curbs would hurt domestic producers, create supply-chain disruptions, and trigger additional American retaliation. Exner-Pirot also noted that such a move would undermine Canada’s goal of being seen globally as a stable and dependable energy source.
The premiers of Alberta and Saskatchewan have publicly rejected the idea of export restrictions, accusing the proposal of diverging from a unified “Team Canada” stance. The analysis suggests that economic pressure on the United States could cost Canada more than it gains.
Why it matters
The piece highlights how using oil exports as leverage could damage Canada’s economy and its energy reputation.
In this story
