I See Neoliberalism Has Returned to Power

After four years of Donald Trump defeating neoliberalism, it sure is concerning to see Joe Biden allowing unfettered corporate control of the nation return….

U.S. president-elect Joe Biden has indicated plans to cancel the Keystone XL pipeline permit via executive action on his first day in office, sources confirmed to CBC News on Sunday.

A purported briefing note from the Biden transition team mentioning the plan was widely circulated over the weekend after being shared by the incoming president’s team with U.S. stakeholders.

The words “Rescind Keystone XL pipeline permit” appear on a list of executive actions supposedly scheduled for Day 1 of Biden’s presidency. 

Of course lots of Canadian leaders, which for all the wishes the U.S. was like its northern neighbor on social policy but is actively worse on environmental policy, are outraged.

They include a raft of environmental policies to be enacted on the first day of his presidency, including re-joining the Paris climate accord. The note shown to stakeholders has led some to expect that the first-day climate actions will include the move to cancel the project to carry Canadian bitumen. 

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, in his first conversation with Biden as president-elect in November, indicated that he wanted to speak further about some potential irritants — including Keystone XL and Biden’s proposed Buy American policies. 

However, proponents of the project have been hoping that he might reconsider once in office. 

Federal Conservative Leader Erin O’Toole called on Trudeau to reach out to the incoming U.S. administration to ensure Keystone moves forward. “Keystone XL is a project of national significance that supports countless workers on both sides of the border,” he said in an emailed statement. 

I just can’t stand all this neoliberalism.