Canada will look to China to sell its oil [View all]

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In a phone conversation that came as little surprise, President Barack Obama called Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper Wednesday afternoon to explain why he had rejected the Keystone oil sands pipeline project.

In a statement released by Harper's office, the president is quoted as saying that the decision was not a decision based on the "merits of the project" and that TransCanada, the company looking to build the pipeline, could reapply for permission after a new route had been developed.

The statement went on to say that Prime Minister Harper "...expressed his profound disappointment with the news. He indicated to President Obama that he hoped that this project would continue given the significant contribution it would make to jobs and economic growth both in Canada and the United States of America."

But crucially, the statement also said that the prime minister reiterated to President Obama that Canada will continue to work to diversify its energy exports.

full: http://www.cnn.com/2012/01/18/world/americas/canada-keystone-oil/index.html

Canadian articles: "To Harper’s ‘profound disappointment,’ Obama rejects Keystone " (Globe & Mail http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/industry-news/energy-and-resources/to-harpers-profound-disappointment-obama-rejects-keystone/article2306625/); "Harper says pipeline debate should be left to Canadians" (CBC, http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/story/2012/01/16/pol-harper-mansbridge-interview.html)