Gilles Duceppe refuses to believe Energy East oil will be refined in Montreal

Gilles Duceppe went on attack on CBC Montreal's Daybreak this week, accusing TransCanada of "lying" about plans to bring oil to Montreal refineries as part of its Energy East pipeline.

The proposed project would see TransCanada ship 1.1 million barrels of oil per day from Alberta to New Brunswick, passing through several municipalities in Quebec.

• DAYBREAK: Gilles Duceppe talks niqabs, Energy East and Quebec
• Quebec premier sees little value in proposed oil pipeline

TransCanada says the pipeline would bring oil to refineries in Montreal and Lévis, Que., as well as Saint John, N.B.

But Duceppe told Daybreak host Mike Finnerty on Tuesday the oil won't be refined in Quebec.

"No not at all, you're wrong on that," Duceppe said. 

Here's a transcript of what followed:

Mike Finnerty: Well, we just called TransCanada, and they said 'yes.'

Gilles Duceppe: No. Not at all.

MF: We just called TransCanada in the last minute.

GD: Maybe they are lying, period... That oil, not TransCanada with the Energy East, not at all. It won't be refined.

MF: Well, Tim Duboyce, spokesperson for TransCanada, just told us.

GD: Then Tim Duboyce is lying, period.

MF: If it did, would that change your mind?

GD: It doesn't at all. It doesn't at all. It doesn't at all. 

MF: If it did would that change your position?

GD:  No 'if it did.' It doesn't at all.

Duceppe said that, like the Northern Gateway pipeline in British Columbia, the pipeline won't create any permanent jobs in the province and would have "no benefits for Quebec."

Later in the show, TransCanada spokesman Tim Duboyce responded to Duceppe's comments, saying the Energy East proposal is "black and white, very clear."

"We have an interconnection agreement with Suncor in East End Montreal, with Valero in Levis across from Quebec City, and with Irving Oil in Saint John, New Brunswick," he said.

"The fact of the matter is we have these agreements in place and that is a key component to the reason for building Energy East."

In an emailed statement, Suncor Energy said it has a contract with "TransCanada on the proposed Energy East project."

"We'd ship on that line either to our Montreal refinery, or to any other refinery (including in Quebec) and delivery points connected to Energy East," spokewoman Sneh Seetal said.

Premier Philippe Couillard has also raised questions about the benefit of the pipeline, saying it may just be a "transit place" for oilsands crude making its way to the East Coast.