Venezuela, Trump Oil Plans, and the threat to Canada

In a recent newsletter we warned that the U.S. Administration would use soft power – through oil and gas corporate lobbying – to try and erode Canada’s resolve and sovereignty. What has happened since in Venezuela mirrors that same approach: The U.S. has replaced Venezuela’s leader (Nicolás Maduro) with a new leader (democracy not included) because the new leader, Delcy Rodríguez, is friendly with U.S. oil and gas interests. They built a relationship with her and directly recommended her as a replacement. Obviously Canada and Venezuela are not comparable governments, but the U.S. administration does not view Canada as different. To them we are both countries are to be annexed. The U.S. said yesterday it is open to using its military to conquer Greenland.

There is a low risk that our PM will be physically kidnapped and replaced by a more capitulant subordinate (for now). But pressure IS being put on our government by oil and gas interests to get it to stop resisting U.S. influence and to stop climate action which would help us become more independent. Oil and gas interests – tied to the U.S. – are framing themselves as acting in Canada’s national interest when they are actually undermining it. The more naive corners of our government have largely bought into that framing.

Oil and gas interests are also at their old game: using breaking news to push for a west coast oil pipeline in Canada. But here’s the thing, if oil is developed further by Venezuela it would increase future oil oversupply in the global market, making a new west coast oil pipeline even less viable economically.

More likely though is that U.S. actions in Venezuela are ultimately about funnelling cash from U.S. taxpayers to oil and gas corporations, as The Guardian reports “Donald Trump has suggested US taxpayers could reimburse energy companies for repairing Venezuelan infrastructure for extracting and shipping oil.”

All of this also helps oil and gas corporations keep up the false narrative that oil and gas demand will continue for decades, a narrative that helps them make as much profit as possible in the short term before demand fades (and collect taxpayer subsidies in the process). It’s the appearance, not the reality, of future demand that matters to them which is why oil and gas interests are promoting contradictory stories about oil and gas expansion about Alberta and Venezuela: The stories might contradict PRACTICALLY but both stories support the FALSE NARRATIVE of demand growth.

Trump claims he briefed oil companies about his plans in advance of bombing Venezuela. Sources within a few relevant oil corporations denied they were briefed, but then that is what a climate-denying corporation would do if they HAD met with Trump: deny it.

Trump’s new 2025 ‘National Security’ Strategy reveals the U.S. plans to use soft power – including private sector influence – to exert influence on other countries like Canada. The strategy mentions the oil and gas and tech sectors in particular as tools for expanding U.S. influence and specifically declares climate action in other countries to be a threat to U.S. dominance.

All the more reason to take climate action in Canada and diminish U.S. power over our country. Relying on oil and gas for employment, energy, or revenue is a liability and weakness the U.S. can exploit.

But, ICYMI, Mark Carney has been taking speech ideas from billionaire-founded ‘Build Canada’ linked to oil and gas interests and tech entrepreneur Tobias Lütke – who famously said Canada should not ‘hit back’ in response to U.S. tariffs and characterized Trump’s demands as reasonable. Is the Prime Minister getting his information from the right people? Or is he listening to the sort of ‘clueless bros’ who trust a deregulated free market alone to protect Canadian sovereignty?

Taken in isolation this incident might easily be written off. But there’s also:

• The recent unnecessary scrapping of climate policies, for a now useless industrial carbon price in Alberta, including the weakening of anti-greenwashing laws that simply prevented oil and gas corporations from lying and helped to safe-guard our democracy.
• The Federal Government’s decision to add the U.S.-owned Ksi Lisims LNG project – a project backed by friends of Trump – to its list of major projects.
• The rumours that within Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) that criticism of oil and gas’ economics has been silenced,
• NRCan’s failure to answer journalists’ questions on sustainable jobs.
• The NRCan cuts that will harm our ability to protect Canadians from floods and wildfires.

It’s not an isolated incident. Oil and gas interests – eager to strengthen ties with the U.S. – are “behaving like a Trojan horse for Donald Trump’s pro-fossil, anti-climate politics.”

No matter how much we build Canada if we do not address the fundamental forces of inequality and environmental deregulation that have led the U.S. on the path towards oligarchy we will simply hand over Canada to U.S. oligarchy the slow way. If we do not call out leaders when they are being sent in bad directions then we have already lost.

No matter who you support, remember: hope does not come from leaders, it comes from YOU. You’re NOT alone: contrary to what you have heard people do still care about climate change. So give your MP a call and tell them you want a renewable way forward and that the Prime Minister has to stop listening to big oil, gas, and tech.

Published: January 7th, 2026