FUEL EXPORT LEGISLATION
B.C. to challenge in court
About 100 British Columbia business, labour and Indigenous leaders flew to Edmonton on Thursday to fight what they see as a crisis in confidence caused by the delay in the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion.
But while the delegation stood in solidarity with their Alberta counterparts to push for construction of the line, the visitors weren’t all comfortable with a new law that allows Alberta’s government to stop sending oil west if the project isn’t built.
“I can say as a group the broad sentiment has been that the legislation passed by the provincial government is not helpful,” said Iain Black, president of the Greater Vancouver Board of Trade.
“I think it contributes to a narrative that we have to get past. We’re interested in seeing the natural resources sector … continue to thrive in a responsible manner.”
Val Litwin, president of the B.C. Chamber of Commerce, called the Alberta government’s latest move a concern in the face of Kinder Morgan’s May 31 deadline to restore shareholder confidence in the $7.4-billion project.
“Whenever there’s escalating rhetoric, it doesn’t help what’s happening. … Certainly, B.C. doesn’t want it to happen,” he said.
“I think it’s drawing attention to the issue and I hope that’s what the tactic is intended to do.”
The one-day visit, including meeting Premier Rachel Notley and a lunch sponsored by the Edmonton and Calgary chambers of commerce, was a chance to tell Albertans they have pro-pipeline friends in B.C., he said.
“Today is really about rallying the troops and making sure people see visibly — in the news, front and centre — that people want this built,” he said.
“When you get federal approval, you jump through all the hoops for environmental assessments, for permitting, that should mean something. It’s time to get this project built, and that’s what we’re here to say.”
Trade Minister Deron Bilous said he heard from a couple of B.C. companies that supported the legislation granting Alberta sweeping powers to cut oil and gas shipments.
“Their message to me was, ‘Your government should do it and do it quickly,’ ” he told reporters.
“There was recognition this would have a significant impact on business in the province, but I think where they’re coming from is that’s short-term pain (while the pipeline) would be long-term benefit to B.C. and Canada.”
Although Notley admitted B.C. firms probably aren’t “superpumped” about the oil export law, she said at a news conference she thinks they understand the importance of the issue.
“We’re not in the business of trying to create hardships for people outside Alberta. What has to happen, though, is we need to make progress on this pipeline.”
First Nations across B.C. support the project, said Keith Matthew, the southern B.C. president of Cando, a national Indigenous organization involved in community economic development.
Matthew, a former chief of the Simpcw First Nation, 70 km north of Kamloops, said they ’re struggling because the timber industry has been decimated by the pine beetle.
“We need (the pipeline), because we don’t have a lot of other economic opportunities,” he said.
“If this doesn’t go through, it’s going to have a really negative impact on us and on the things that we do. We just want to work.”