Denis Coderre meets Justin Trudeau, says 'right balance' needed on pipeline project

Montreal Mayor Denis Coderre dialed back therhetoric on the Energy East pipeline projectTuesday, coming out of a meeting with Prime Minister Justin Trudeauwith a more conciliatory message.

Coderrehas accusedTransCanada Corp.of "arrogance" in its dealings with the Montreal Metropolitan Community.

• VIDEO:Justin Trudeau says government won't act as pipeline projects 'cheerleader' as Tories did
• ANALYSIS:Accused of 'swanning' around Davos, Trudeau called to mediate Energy East
• MERCER:'We all need this thing,' Mercer rants to Montreal's mayor on Energy East pipeline

On Tuesday, the mayor said "respect" is essential.

"At the end of the day, it's all about respect, being responsible and having a balanced approach [between economic growth and sustainable development]," he told reporters, standing next toTrudeauat Montreal city hall.

Coderrestuck to his position thatTransCanadaCorp. has more work to do ifit hopesto win community support for itsEnergy East project.

The meeting took place early Tuesday morning, just one day after interim federal Conservative LeaderRonaAmbrosecalled onTrudeauto rein in his "friend"Coderre, a former Liberal cabinet minister, before he further whips up Western alienation.

Last week, Coderreand 81 other mayors from surrounding municipalitiescame out againstTransCanada'span-Canadian pipeline project which would convert an existing natural gas pipeline to one transporting crude oil setting off a war of words with political leaders in the West.

Coderre said Montreal's position is contingent upon TransCanada's improving the case it's making for the Energy East project.

"If we have a role to play, there are people who have to do their homework," he said.

Coderre said Montreal is committed to fully participating in the process.

"We've done rigorous work and it's not because we're asking questions and telling others to their homework, it's not a lack of respect. We just want to ensure that wefind the right balance," he said.

That view was echoed by Trudeau, who said it was his government's role to act as a "responsible referee."

"My responsibility as prime minister is to make sure that on national projects, we're behaving in a way that both contributes to the economy, to a secure environment, to bringing people together and mostly to creating a better future," Trudeau said.

An oppositionProjet Montralcouncillor, Craig Sauv,said he is worried because Trudeaufavourspipeline projects.

"I think Justin Trudeau is trying to play nice for now, but if we recall what his positions were in the past, he was a firm supporter of the Keystone XL pipeline which is almost as large a pipeline as the Energy East pipeline," Sauv said."That worries us."

"The climate should be the number one concern for all Montrealers."

The prime minister was greeted at city hallby a small group of anti-pipeline protesters.

TransCanada'prepared to work' with governments

In a statement Tuesday, a spokesman forTransCanada's Energy Eastproject said the company remains committed to finding a way forward for the project.

"We are prepared to work with all levels of government to ensure the continued safe and environmentally sound transportation of our natural resources to market," Tim Duboyce said.

He said pipelines are a safer and cleaner option than transporting oil by rail.

Pipelines "produce fewer emissions than diesel powered trains or trucks because they operate using electricity, which means a signficantlylower carbon footprint," Duboyce said.

Trudeau and Coderre discuss pipelines

9 years ago

Duration 3:22

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Montreal Mayor Denis Coderre discuss their meeting on the Energy east pipeline proposal.

Opposition 'affecting national unity,'says Ambrose

On Monday,Rona Ambrose saidsome westerners feel betrayed by Montreal's opposition to the proposed Energy East projectafter shouldering the burden of equalization payments that Quebec has relied on for decades.

"My concern is this is affecting national unity," Ambrose said.

• RonaAmbrose says Energy East opposition fomenting national unity crisis
• National Energy Board needs to fix pipeline oversight, watchdog says

Trudeau said this morning's meeting was planned weeks ago and is not a result of cries from the Opposition.

Coderre tweeted Monday evening, welcoming Trudeau to Montreal and repeating that the meeting was planned some time ago.

"Happy to welcome Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to city hall," Coderre wrote in French. "The meeting was planned several weeks ago."

The meeting wasexpected to be similar to those Trudeau held with the mayors of Vancouver and Toronto in recent weeks.

• Justin Trudeau praises Toronto's response to Syrian refugee resettlement
• Trudeau meets Gregor Robertson in Vancouver

This was the first formal meetingbetween Trudeau and Coderre since last fall's federal election.