MP Rob Merrifield poses for a portrait in his Ottawa office on Jan. 30, 2013.Cole Burston/The Globe and Mail
Prime Minister Stephen Harper does not plan to appoint a new liaison to the U.S. Congress from his caucus, sources say, phasing out a role that saw former MP Rob Merrifield emerge as one of Ottawa's prominent advocates for the Keystone XL pipeline – and suggesting a larger role for the Alberta government in pushing for the project.
Mr. Merrifield had served as a key figure in federal lobbying for the project as the Conservative government's congressional liaison, along with his position as chair of the International Trade committee. However, he resigned last month to become Alberta's envoy to Washington.
While Mr. Harper's government replaced him as committee chair, it has not named a new congressional liaison, and sources said Wednesday there are no plans to replace Mr. Merrifield in that position – in part because he'll be continuing the work in his new job.
The move is the latest that will, in effect, give Alberta a bigger role in pushing for the pipeline. Mr. Merrifield will now focus on U.S. lobbying exclusively – simply on the province's behalf, rather than Ottawa's – while Alberta's new premier, former MP Jim Prentice, has taken the international and intergovernmental affairs portfolio. Meanwhile, it's expected that Mr. Harper and his cabinet will pick up the slack federally following Mr. Merrifield's departure.
Chris McCluskey, a spokesman for Natural Resources Minister Greg Rickford, said in an e-mail: "We're pleased that Mr. Merrifield will continue advocating for Canada's interests in Washington, including for the approval of Keystone XL. The Prime Minister and numerous ministers in our government will continue advocating for the Keystone XL project because it will enhance national security, create jobs and foster long-term economic prosperity for both of our countries."
Asked if he'd be replaced with a new liaison, Mr. Merrifield replied: "I'm not sure but another member would be welcome." In an earlier interview, he called the new job "a continuation of what I've been doing for the Prime Minister."
One source echoed that, saying Mr. Merrifield's job in Alberta overlaps with what he was doing federally. "If the aim we're trying to achieve is approval of the Keystone pipeline, then he has something specific he brings to the table… it's the same people advocating for the same thing," one source said.
Mr. Merrifield was named liaison in part because of his long list of contacts in Congress. Keystone was an essential part of his file, but he was also tasked with representing Canada in easing border barriers and fighting so-called Buy America provisions that hurt Canadian exporters.
Saskatchewan MP Randy Hoback took over from Mr. Merrifield as chair of the International Trade committee. Mr. Hoback said Wednesday he had no immediate plans to visit Washington, and that Mr. Merrifield's American focus was due to his role as liaison. "That's totally separate from the chair of the committee," he said, adding his focus as chair is to ensure the committee deals quickly with the Canada-Korea free trade agreement.
Josh Wingrove is a parliamentary reporter in Ottawa.