’We want pipelines’: Trans Mountain supporters rally outside Kinder Morgan
Nearly 100 supporters gathered outside Kinder Morgan’s annual general meeting in downtown Calgary on Wednesday to show their unwavering support for the Trans Mountain pipeline amid uncertainty about whether the project will go forward.
James Robson, spokesman for rally organizers Canada Action, says the group is dedicated to showing Canadians’ support for the project.
“(Kinder Morgan) needs to have our support and, more importantly, the federal government needs to know that they need to step in because Canadians want this pipeline, Calgarians want this pipeline,” he said. “People all over Canada want this built.”
The rally started shortly after Finance Minister Bill Morneau said in Ottawa that the government is committed to getting the pipeline built even if Kinder Morgan pulls out of the controversial project.
Robson said another entity would “have the same problem (Kinder Morgan) have now” if the company pulls out, and that it “might as well get the project built in the manner it was approved.”
Kinder Morgan stopped all nonessential spending on its $7.4-billion project after delays from the B.C. government, environmental groups and protesters.
Morn ea us aid the federalgovernment has a “clear role” to play in quelling the “politically motivated investment risk” posed by continued delays from B.C. Premier John Horgan’s “deliberate attempts to derail the project.”
Robson said Morneau’s comments placing all the blame on Horgan conveniently “takes the pressure” off Ottawa to bring Alberta and B.C. to an agreement.
“The federal government have shown they are willing to withhold money to other provinces when they don’t play ball, and British Columbia isn’t playing ball,” Robson said, adding it’s time Ottawa takes “tangible action” against B.C.
“There’s a wide variety of options and they’re not taking them,” he said.
Kinder Morgan gave the federal government a May 31 deadline to broker a deal but, in a news conference from Ottawa on Wednesday, Morneau said he believes there are “other private sector actors that would be willing to move forward” with the project if Kinder Morgan pulls out.