Canada calls on US for better ties in energy sector

Canada's Minister of Natural Resources Joe Oliver met his US counterpart Ernest Moinz in Washington DC and has called for "maintaining safe and modern energy infrastructure and supporting efficient energy use" between Canada and the US.

Moniz and Oliver discussed Monday enhancement of energy and environment collaboration, which includes "exerting joint global leadership on energy and environmental issues and developing unconventional oil and gas resources responsibly", Xinhua reported.

"Canada and the United States share the largest, most secure and significant energy relationship in the world," said Oliver.

"Enhancing our bilateral energy collaboration will strengthen economic opportunity, energy security and responsibility towards the environment," he said.

Oliver also mentioned the Keystone XL pipeline, saying it is "in the national interest of both our countries" and Canada supports the approval of the project.

"Approval would displace oil from Venezuela which has repeatedly threatened to cut off its supply to the United States," he added.

Canada's CBC News reported last Friday that Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper had sent a letter to US President Barack Obama in late August, formally proposing "joint action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the oil and gas sector" in order to advance the Keystone pipeline project.