For the second time in a year, the federal government is invoking a little-known 1977 energy treaty between Canada and the United States to defend the Line 5 pipeline.
This time, it’s in Wisconsin, where Line 5 skirts the southwestern shores of Lake Superior before crossing into Michigan.
In both states, federal judges are hearing court cases aimed at getting the controversial cross-border pipeline shut down.
An indigenous band in Wisconsin is arguing that the pipeline’s owner, Calgary-based Enbridge Inc., no longer has the right to operate on its territory.
Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly says Canada is seeking treaty talks with the U.S. because of the importance of Line 5 to North America’s energy security….