EDITORIAL Big fight is still ahead

Premier John Horgan might find that the best way out of a difficult situation is to be ordered to let the Kinder Morgan pipeline expansion go ahead. After his meeting on Sunday with Alberta Premier Rachel Notley and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, it appeared that Trudeau is considering new legislation to reaffirm federal power over pipelines.

If Horgan is forced to accede by Ottawa or the courts, he can show his supporters he fought the good fight, but doesn’t have to give up the jobs and other economic benefits of the project.

However, such an order wouldn’t stop the protests. Indeed, an imposed decision would probably just spread the flames of outrage.

Is there no middle ground where supporters and opponents of the project can meet?

Without that middle ground, a group of people — whose popular support varies depending on which poll you read — are effectively halting a project that was approved by the federal government according to the laws of the land.

Both sides of the issue have strong arguments. We elect governments to weigh those arguments and make a decision. While dissent is a part of a free society, that society cannot function if dissent brings the mechanism of decision to a grinding halt.

Despite Sunday’s meeting, the big fight is still to be fought in the court of public opinion.