Despite Sunday’s emergency summit with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and B.C. Premier John Horgan, Alberta moved Monday to restrict oil and gas exports to B.C.
As CTV News reports, Alberta Premier Rachel Notley said her government is introducing legislation that will apply pressure to its neighboring province that continues to oppose the construction of the Kinder Morgan Trans Mountain pipeline.
Sunday’s meeting between the two provinces and the federal government was supposed to break the impasse that threatens to stall or cancel a planned pipeline that is projected to deliver Alberta crude oil to the Canadian Pacific coast — through B.C., where environmental activists in the provincial government and on the street are strenuously resisting the project. The three-hour huddle ended with Trudeau promising to support the construction of the pipeline with taxpayer dollars if necessary.
The planned legislation would allow the Alberta government to decide the quantity of oil, gas and natural gas that transport services haul outside of the province.
“Let there be no doubt, Alberta will do what it takes to do to see this federally approved pipeline built for the benefit of workers and families,” said Notley in Edmonton. “The bill sends a clear message, we will use every tool at our disposal to defend Albertans (and) to defend our resources.”
The pipeline debate has produced a rare chorus of unity between Alberta’s governing New Democratic Party and the official opposition United Conservative Party.