A Lifeline

“And so, it is my great honour, to announce the completion of the Prosperity Pipeline, which will supply petroleum products across Canada, unifying us together as the True North, strong and free. I’m now open to any questions.”

Prime Minister Bordeaux smiled at the frantic flashes of camera lights bombarding him at his press conference. But behind that smile, there was a secret. A secret that had to do with the pipeline.

Albertans had long since hesitated to supply oil at subsidized prices to the other provinces, preferring to sell their heavy crude to refineries in the United States. With one of the largest reserves of oil bestowed upon them, the province was sitting on a literal oil-mine. To the have-not provinces to the East and West, they eagerly awaited the flow of cheap Canadian energy to come their way.

It had taken five years to complete the pipeline, running from the Gaspé Peninsula in Québec to Vancouver on the coast of British Columbia. The mega-project created over fifty-thousand temporary jobs, filled the coffers of First Nations reserves that were intersected by the pipeline and promised new markets for the Canadian oil industry.

After the conference, Bordeaux retired to the Prime Minister’s Office, where he sank into his leather chair and let out a tormented sigh. As he closed his eyes to escape the bombardment of thoughts, but was perplexed at keeping the secret from the Canadian People. If only they knew what was coming, what they would have to suffer, he thought.

Turning on the TV, the news of American aggression to the South was becoming all the more real, having grown from a simple teasing gesture into a very serious redrawing of the North American political map.

The Canadian reporter on screen didn’t seem disturbed despite standing next to a platoon of American soldiers marching by. “As you can see, the Americans are conducting military drills all along the border with Canada and is a show of force, which, according to some, is one last chance being offered to Canada to join the USA peacefully.” As she spoke, her words were drowned out by helicopters landing, and fighter pilots jetting past above them.

Suddenly a knock at the door caused Bordeaux to sit alert as his Deputy Prime Minister entered the office.

“Sir, the Canadian military says its time to go. All the Premiers and government staff are on their way here. Thank goodness for the pipeline transport, because this American invasion was quicker than expected. We must leave now!”

All around Bordeaux there was a flurry of activity as government and staff worked to evacuate Parliament and to destroy all sensitive documents. The Prime Minister looked back at the Parliament building behind him, fading into the distance. He then entered the single seat bullet train inside the Prosperity pipeline, heading to the mouth of the St. Lawrence River and travelling by sea to the United Kingdom, along with the rest of his exiled federal and provincial leaders.