Trans Mountain pipeline dispute enters nasty new phase
Horgan dismisses Notley’s threat to cut off oil as Liberal leader calls for sales-tax break on fuel
VICTORIA — B.C. Premier John Horgan says he will take Alberta to court if that province tries to implement a new law to turn off the petroleum taps, which would spike gas prices in the Lower Mainland even higher.
Horgan said the Alberta legislation, which passed into law Wednesday, is unconstitutional and clearly meant to penalize B.C. for its stance on the Kinder Morgan pipeline expansion project.
“If the Alberta government chooses to proclaim their legislation, we will move quickly to strike it down,” he said.
Attorney-General David Eby wrote a letter to Alberta urging it to take its new legislation to court in a joint reference question with proposed B.C. regulations, rather than forcing another fight. Eby told media the province would seek an injunction to prevent Alberta from ever using the law, and seek economic damages if any occurred.
But Alberta Premier Rachel Notley was not backing down on using the new legislation in retaliation for what Alberta perceives are B.C.’s attempts to derail the Kinder Morgan pipeline project.
“If the path forward for the pipeline through B.C. is not settled soon, I am ready and prepared to turn off the taps,” she said at a news conference, stopping short of outlining how long that would take. “It could happen in 24 hours, it could happen over a much longer period of time.”
The back and forth between Alberta and B.C. capped a day that began with new threats by the federal government that it would indemnify Kinder Morgan’s financial risk with
public funds to protect it from politically motivated delays in B.C.
Horgan rejected that statement, too, calling it “rhetoric and hyperbole” from a “Toronto-based finance minister.”
“I’m not causing any risks. I’m issuing permits as they’re asked for by the proponents,” he said. “I’ve joined two legal cases that were already underway and I’ve asked the federal government to join me in a reference to the constitutionality of a regulation change we want
to make. They declined to join us, so I’ve made a reference on our own. These are not overly provocative statements, in my opinion, those are the normal course of events working with the rule of law, not allowing Mr. (Bill) Morneau to determine constitutionality, but the courts.”
Still, Horgan found himself not only fighting Alberta and Ottawa, but also the B.C. Liberal Opposition, which seized upon the issue of rising gas prices in Metro Vancouver and linked it to the Kinder Morgan
project. Liberal leader Andrew Wilkinson called on Horgan to temporarily reduce the provincial fuel tax and the carbon tax to give motorists some relief at the pumps.
“Is he prepared to eat a little bit of humble pie and realize this pipeline is going ahead, and he needs to accept that and work in the interest of British Columbians?” asked Wilkinson. “We’re seeing the biggest pump prices in B.C. history. We can’t live with that forever.”
Wilkinson said Horgan “has some
choices. He can reduce the sales tax on gasoline, he can cap the carbon tax on gasoline, or he can just settle this matter with Alberta and stop the war with Alberta that could result in a cut-off of our fuel supply as early as (Thursday).”
Horgan said gas prices are rising across the country and “there is no connection” with Kinder Morgan.