Oilpatch CEO says Trudeau needs to give real pipeline support, ‘not just words’

An oil company CEO is harshly criticizing Justin Trudeau as the prime minister tours the oilsands region of northeastern Alberta Friday.

Athabasca Oil CEO Rob Broen said if he met Trudeau, he would tell him the industry needs real leadership on oil export pipelines, “not just words.”

Trudeau has been telling audiences in British Columbia and Alberta that he supports both the environment and pipeline projects like the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion from Edmonton to the Vancouver area.

Watch below: Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says his government is committed to bringing together Alberta and B.C. over the oil spat underway between the provinces. He said his government will get the Kinder Morgan pipeline built.

0:36 ‘We will get this pipeline built’: Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Kinder Morgan

But Broen said Trudeau should sit down with officials from Kinder Morgan Canada, the company building the much-delayed Trans Mountain project, to find out what obstacles it is facing and then take action to remove those barriers.

LISTEN BELOW: Alberta Senator Doug Black joins 630 CHED’s Ryan Jespersen to talk pipelines and more

In a speech to investors at his company’s annual general meeting in Calgary, Broen said the government shouldn’t have launched a revamp of the National Energy Board, adding he doesn’t understand what was wrong with the regulator as it was.

He said he disagrees with the prime minister that Alberta’s adoption of a carbon tax last year makes it easier to push through pipeline construction, pointing out no new pipeline capacity has resulted as yet.

“I would tell him (Trudeau) he has to show leadership on the pipeline file. And it’s not just words,” said Broen.

WATCH BELOW: Global News coverage of Trudeau’s visit to British Columbia

2:36 Trudeau says ‘historic’ investment in environment allows for pipeline expansion

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“He needs to back up Kinder Morgan, the pipeline he’s approved, and he needs to see it through to construction and make sure we can put shovels in the ground and get it built for the benefit of all Canadians.”