Canada does not have a strategic petroleum reserve. Norway doesn't have one either, but it doesn't need one because it supplies its own citizens sensibly before it exports surpluses.
Western Canada can't supply all of eastern Canadian needs because NAFTA reserves Canadian oil for American security of supply. Canada now exports 63% of our oil and 56% of our natural gas. Those shares are currently locked in place by NAFTA's proportionality clause, which requires us not to reduce recent export proportions. Mexico refused proportionality; it applies only to Canada.
As well, we don't have the east-west pipelines to fully meet eastern needs. Instead, five export pipelines are planned.
Although we have more than enough oil to meet Canadian needs, Canada is the most exposed of all IEA members. Meanwhile, the United States is doubling its petroleum reserve.
Nor does Canada have a natural gas plan. At last summer's G-8 meetings, Canada began negotiations to send Russian gas to Quebec. It's very risky; Russia recently cut gas exports to Ukraine and Byelorussia for political reasons.
