The Member of Provincial Parliament for Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound says a pipeline running between Wisconsin and Sarnia is key to Ontario's way of life.
In his role as Associate Minister of Energy, Bill Walker rose in the Legislature to speak on the Line 5 pipeline, which Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer has ordered shut down in May, citing the pipeline's location through the Straits of Mackinac as "an unreasonable risk" to both Michigan and surrounding states, and accusing Calgary-based Enbridge of violating terms of an existing agreement.
On Monday, Walker said "the shutting down of Line 5 would impact each and every one of us. It would raise the cost of fuel, the cost of food, the cost of heating, and everything the people of Ontario rely on every day".
Last week, Natural Resources Minister Seamus O'Regan told a special House of Commons committee that "We are fighting for Line 5 on a diplomatic front, and we are preparing to invoke whatever measures we need to in order to make sure that Line 5 remains operational".
"The operation of Line 5 is non-negotiable" O'Regan noted.
In his speech on Monday, Walker said "All of us need to stand together to protect workers, stand up for jobs, and to fight to keep Line 5 open, recognizing that pipelines are the safest way of transporting energy sources".
"Without it, Ontario and Michigan's energy supply would be jeopardized. The people of Ontario would feel this impact in all aspects of their lives, with increased prices at the pump, increased costs and supply shortages for home heating fuel, as well as potentially increased costs for anything that requires trucks to ship good, including groceries and even online purchases" said Walker.
