The Enbridge Line 5 pipeline confrontation is political theatre at its best and worst. But this doesn’t mean it’s inconsequential. There is virtually zero chance that the Governor of Michigan can unilaterally close down an existing pipeline that crosses both state and international boundaries. This type of issue is way outside any one state’s jurisdiction. But this doesn’t mean that Canada will have won. We may win this battle, but we are still losing the war to Blockadia — the well-organized, well-financed crusade to block oil pipelines out of Canada, and, by extension, to shut down the Canadian oilsands.
