Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre wrote to Prime Minister Mark Carney on Jan. 6, 2026, demanding Ottawa commit to approving a West Coast pipeline within 60 days of Alberta’s application. He warned revived Venezuelan heavy oil could displace Canadian barrels in U.S. refineries after the U.S. capture of Nicolás Maduro.
“Altered the global energy landscape”
In a letter to Carney posted on social media Tuesday, Poilievre said the action taken by the United States over the weekend — a military raid on Caracas that captured President Nicolás Maduro and brought him to New York to face charges — has “altered the global energy landscape.”
Trump has openly said he plans to take control of Venezuela’s oil industry and encourage American companies to revitalize the sector. Canada, like other democracies, refused to recognize Maduro’s regime after the 2018 and 2024 elections, which were widely seen as stolen, and after years of human rights abuses. Poilievre wrote that Canada was right to refuse to recognize an “illegitimate regime,” and said he supports the right of the Venezuelan people to choose their own future.
His concern is commercial. Venezuela’s heavy crude production “could rapidly rebound to historic levels,” he warned, putting it in direct competition with Canada for space in American refineries that specialize in heavy crude.
“Every barrel the United States sources from Venezuela could mean one less barrel these refineries would buy from Canada. We therefore need new markets to sell to, and we need them quickly,” he wrote.
The numbers behind the warning
Venezuela holds the world’s largest proven crude reserves — about 303 billion barrels, roughly 17 per cent of the global total, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. But its industry is in disrepair after years of neglect and sanctions. Analysts say it could take years and major investment before production grows dramatically, though some believe output of about 1.1 million barrels a day could double or triple fairly quickly.
Poilievre pointed out that Carney has not clearly stated support for an oil pipeline to the West Coast of British Columbia, and that many Liberal MPs oppose the idea.
The deal already on the table
The Liberals did sign a memorandum of understanding with the Alberta government in November, committing them to work toward construction of at least one coastal pipeline to carry Alberta bitumen to markets in Asia. Under the agreement, the pipelines would be built and financed by the private sector, with Indigenous communities obtaining benefits and co-ownership, and an application is to be ready to submit to the federal major projects office by July 1.
Poilievre’s demand sharpens that timeline: the Conservatives want the government to commit to approving the project proposal within 60 days of its submission.
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith echoed the urgency on Monday, posting that the events in Venezuela “emphasize the importance that we expedite the development of pipelines to diversify our oil export markets,” including a pipeline to the coast. Her government, she said, is working on its application and “expects the federal government to move forward with urgency.”
Carney answers from Paris
Carney, asked about the pressure the same day, brushed off the threat to Canadian crude. A functioning Venezuelan economy would produce more oil and increase stability in the Western Hemisphere, which he called a good thing.
“Canadian oil will be competitive because it is low risk — clearly low risk — and low cost,” he said, adding that a proposed carbon capture project in Alberta would make Canadian crude more attractive to buyers concerned about emissions. “That makes Canadian oil competitive for the medium and long term… We welcome the prospect of greater prosperity in Venezuela, but we also see the competitiveness of Canadian oil.”
