This article originally appeared in the Globe and Mail.
By John McKay and Marcus Kolga, June 23, 2025
One of the lesser-known subplots of the Second World War was the Nazi regime’s desperate hunt for oil to fuel its war machine – and the Allies’ efforts to cut off that access. Today, a perverse version of a similar struggle is playing out in Russia’s genocidal war against Ukraine. In this modern version, Ukraine’s allies are helping fund the war by purchasing oil and gas from its aggressor.
A recent BBC report exposed a grim contradiction: revenues from Russian energy sales to democratic nations have exceeded the total aid sent to Ukraine over the past three years. So long as the West continues buying Russian energy, we are complicit in feeding Vladimir Putin’s ability to make more war and intensifying the threat to the sovereignty and security of our closest allies.
But there is a solution – and Canada is uniquely positioned to help. Like the Allies in the Second World War, we must act strategically to deny dictators the lifeblood of war.
First, we must confront a hard truth: Canada cannot dictate global demand for hydrocarbons. Oil and gas will remain part of the world’s energy mix for decades. Pretending otherwise may provide moral comfort, but it hands control to petro-dictatorships like Russia, Iran and Venezuela.
What Canada can have influence over is how – and from where – our allies access their energy. With responsibly regulated natural resources, advanced technology and a commitment to democratic values, Canada is well positioned to become the trusted alternative supplier our allies need.
Prime Minister Mark Carney has declared his ambition to make Canada an “energy superpower” – a goal supported by many provincial leaders. Grant Arnold, CEO of BluEarth Renewables, put it plainly: “We need to increase energy production of all kinds to allow Canada to grow.”
Our European allies have long pleaded for help reducing their dependence on Russian gas. They understood what many Canadians ignored: the Kremlin has weaponized energy. Russian oil and gas don’t just heat homes – they finance the invasion of Ukraine, repression in Belarus and influence operations in Canada and across Europe.
Despite years of warnings and mounting consequences, Canada has hesitated. That must change.
We need to treat the construction of LNG terminals in Eastern Canada – and deepwater ports for oil exports – as national strategic priorities. Federal and provincial governments should fast-track approvals and mobilize investment. Pipelines from Western Canada can bring natural gas to the Atlantic coast, where it can be liquefied and shipped to NATO allies – displacing Russian gas and reinforcing European energy security.
This is not just about Ukraine. It’s about strengthening the transatlantic alliance, protecting global democracy and, ultimately, Canada’s own sovereignty. So long as authoritarian regimes have the power to hold our allies hostage with energy blackmail, they will continue to divide and destabilize us.
Canadian energy, responsibly produced and reliably delivered, can become a tool of peace and partnership.
Domestically, this strategy also offers major benefits. Developing northern and remote energy resources that are linked to export routes would create opportunities for communities long disconnected from the broader economy. It would also strengthen Canadian presence and sovereignty in the far north.
These projects must be grounded in Indigenous partnership and environmental responsibility. When done right, resource development can help bridge historical divides and build national unity.
Some argue that expanding energy exports contradicts Canada’s climate goals. That’s a false choice. We can reduce emissions while meeting global demand more responsibly than the autocracies currently doing so. Replacing corrupt, dirty Russian energy with cleaner Canadian alternatives is a net win for the planet, Canada and our allies.
Canada’s energy wealth is more than an economic asset – it is a tool of diplomacy, deterrence and democratic solidarity. It’s time we treat it as such.
What’s at stake is more than Ukraine’s survival – it is the future of Western liberal democracy. If we fail to act, we embolden regimes that seek to divide and dominate. But if we choose to lead – if we build the infrastructure, approve the terminals and connect our energy to the needs of our allies –we can help shape the outcome of this global crisis.
Just as the Allies once choked off Nazi access to oil, we must now help cut the financial lifeline of Mr. Putin’s war. Canada must become the supplier of choice for countries that choose freedom. The Carney government has signalled that this future is within reach, but we now must find the courage to carry it through and build it.
John McKay is a former member of Parliament for Scarborough–Guildwood and a former chair of the Standing Committee on National Defence.
Marcus Kolga is the founder of DisinfoWatch and a senior fellow at the Macdonald-Laurier Institute.
