Big Oil Turns Against Canada & Greenland, & The Threat to Newfoundland and Labrador

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 and Greenland. 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. What has happened since in Venezuela mirrors that same approach: The U.S. has replaced Venezuela’s leader (Nicolás Maduro) with a new leader from the same regime (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.

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.

If Trump invades Greenland we can expect oil and gas interests ‘based in Canada‘ to side with Trump and tell Canada to keep quiet. Oil tycoons in Canada are already apparently happy to help Trump develop oil in Venezuela and thus set the precedent we will help the U.S. violate international law. And will Venezuelans even get democracy out of it? Unlikely, for now Trump is looking to keep the old regime in Venezuela in place under the new leadership of Delcy Rodriguez.

It also turns out “Alberta Premier Danielle Smith is part of a U.S. group whose leader, Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry, has been tasked by the Donald Trump administration with helping to annex Greenland” Desmog writes.

Coincidentally, the big oil-supporting Toronto Sun, whose Ottawa bureau chief recently praised the murder of Renee Good by ICE, just published a piece by Stephen LeDrew supporting Trump’s Greenland annexation goal:

“Canada may soon be cheering Donald Trump on in his stated goal of acquiring Greenland,” it declares.

If we don’t cheer, Trump may take Newfoundland and Labrador instead the Sun’s piece goes on to threaten. As a Newfoundlander myself I can say that threat isn’t going to be received the way the Toronto Sun – a Postmedia publication – thinks.

Big oil and gas are not just seeking to erode Canadian climate policy, they are seeking to aid Trump in Canada’s annexation and to get us to give in and give up allies like Greenland. Because Canada resisting U.S. aggression with our international allies is big oil’s worst nightmare.

The few benefits of oil and gas reliance in Canada are fast disappearing and are massively outweighed by the climate costs. More oil production in Venezuela would actually make a new west coast oil pipeline even more economically futile by worsening future oversupply of oil on the global market.

The Tyee reported last month that even Trans Mountain’s profitability appears to be an accounting illusion that could ultimately leave the Canadian taxpayer on the hook.

Critiques of the Tyee’s coverage cite spin off benefits and the unlikely chance that Indigenous communities might buy Trans Mountain. But these critiques leave out the climate cost of Trans Mountain and that there were better renewable ways to invest Canadian funds than a pipeline – renewable alternatives that would have left all Canadians better off in the long run. Additionally, Indigenous communities helping the Canadian government pay off the cost of an unprofitable pipeline isn’t a solution – it’s yet another transference of a problem off the Federal Government’s shoulders and onto those of the communities.

But then that’s what all this is about: short term gain for big oil and gas, as their business model dies, at the expense of everyone else.

Don’t be confused by Exxon’s recent comments that Venezuela is an ‘uninvestable’ location. Long term development of Venezuelan oil would be difficult but big oil very much wants to exploit Venezuela for short term gain and oil interests did help Trump with efforts to take over the country. What big oil means is the situation is un-investable without massive taxpayer backing and assurance Venezuela will pay out to oil companies the money those companies think they are owed from previous decades. They now want both conditions met and will likely get what they want.

Get our weekly newsletter for more like this.

– Written by Conor Curtis on January 15, 2026.