PM MUST GET IN THE GAME ON PIPELINE

Last week saw the beginning of a national crisis as Kinder Morgan put its Trans Mountain pipeline project on hold, citing an uncertain investment environment in the face of government squabbling.

The Alberta-British Columbia project had been approved by the previous B.C. Liberal government. But once John Horgan, the new NDP premier, got into office he made it clear his party was going to stand in the pipeline’s path.

To say they’ve gone rogue on this is to put it mildly. The project was going ahead before they got in.

Not only did B.C. initially support it, but Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s Liberal government gave it the green light and dozens of First Nations along the project’s path signed mutual benefit agreements with Kinder Morgan.

It’s plainly obvious this project is in the national interest. Trudeau has said as much. And Horgan, full well knowing this, is intent on derailing a project of national economic interest.

Horgan claims his objections are about the effects of diluted bitumen in B.C. waters. Yet skeptics reasonably suggest his true motive may be broader opposition to developing our natural resources sector.

After all, Horgan’s government is only hanging by a thread thanks to support from the B.C. Green Party. If the NDP supports Trans Mountain, they could lose Green support and thus lose government.

This could all be about power.

How is Trudeau responding to this? He cut short his Peru trip to host a meeting between Horgan and Alberta Premier Rachel Notley. Little came out of it, though.

We’re now left with vague assurances of legal action, and dubious assurances that will be the mechanism that gets the pipeline built. Plus we’re going to be left with some sort of a bill.

Finance Minister Bill Morneau will be meeting with Kinder Morgan to discuss some sort of financial arrangement. But Canadians didn’t ask to pay for or backstop this project. They asked for it to be built because it will spur growth and job creation.

Trudeau has firm options he could have threatened, such as halting B.C.’s infrastructure funds. Instead of being an active player though, Trudeau continues to act like a referee. This needs to change. He’s got to get in the game.