Russian Interests in Canada at Possible Risk –Harper
Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper suggested Tuesday that Canada’s commercial natural gas deals with Russia could be at risk following Russia’s military actions in neighboring Georgia.
At a news conference near Toronto, Harper said, “We’re examining obviously all aspects of our relationship. We’re obviously focusing on aspects that have to do with the strategic and military situation, but we will of course review everything,” according to a Reuters report.
Russia’s Gazprom, the world’s largest natural gas company, had announced last May it was joining Enbridge, Gaz Metro and Gaz de France in developing a C$840mln liquified natural gas project in Quebec. The project is expected to produce 500mln cubic feet of gas per day, enough to supply Canada’s two largest markets, Quebec and Ontario, by 2014.
The project would be the Russian firm’s first major investment in North America, giving Gazprom an unspecified stake in the Rabaska terminal on the St. Lawrence River.