Former EnCana CEO Gwyn Morgan says Canada is losing credibility with foreign investors due to its inability to develop energy infrastructure.

“If any other country was as dependent as we are on energy resources and energy exports and revenue, this would be a national priority at the highest levels,” said Morgan in an interview with BNN.

In January Ottawa announced new rules for pipeline reviews, adding four months for cabinet to decide whether to accept or reject the Trans Mountain pipeline recommendations by the National Energy Board.

Last week Kinder Morgan’s (KMI.N) $6.8-billion Trans Mountain pipeline extension, was recommended with 157 conditions by the NEB. It now goes to federal cabinet committee for a decision within seven months.

Concerns have been raised from protestors in Burnaby and Vancouver, arguing it would dramatically increase the risk of spills and hasten the effects of climate change by allowing Alberta oil sands production room to expand.

“While you would of course examine all the environmental aspects, surely it doesn’t take as long as the years it’s been taking to get environmental reviews done,” Morgan says.

“These proponents are beginning to wonder whether they can get by all of the various environmental reviews,  Aboriginal issues and so on that makes Canada kind of a gridlocked place to do business.”

Morgan says Canada will face gridlock in its pipeline projects so long as it allows ‘naysayers’ as much a say as the authorities who are responsible for examining them.

“You can’t please everyone, and if social license means pleasing everyone, nothing gets done,” he said.

“We have to show some leadership here … it’s putting streamlines in place to say, ‘look we’ve got a job to get done here, let’s do it efficiently, let’s get the right answer and get to it quickly.’”