Green Party leader: Trans Mountain bailout puts climate targets out of reach

B.C. Green Party Leader Andrew Weaver said Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s willingness to put federal dollars on the line in response to ultimatums “should alarm all Canadians.”

He was responding to Trudeau’s promise to deploy financial and legislative tools to ensure the disputed Trans Mountain pipeline expansion between Alberta and British Columbia is able to proceed.

“I am encouraged to see Premier Horgan continue to stand up for B.C.’s right to protect our economy, our environment and our people,” Weaver said.

“It is deeply troubling that the prime minister is considering using public funds to absorb investor risk in this project. The message this sends to investors is that if they issue ultimatums for projects based on fundamentally faulty economic rationale, the prime minister will put taxpayer dollars on the line to bail them out. “

Kinder Morgan made its case to the National Energy Board based on oil prices being at least $100 per barrel, said Weaver. But markets have shifted dramatically and oil projections are now between $40 to $70 per barrel.

“This should concern all Canadians who took the prime minister at his word when he said he would build a clean, forwardlooking economy. That means providing targeted incentives and support programs for industries who are embracing low-carbon solutions. Instead, the prime minister is doubling down on a sunset industry whose expansion puts our climate targets out of reach. We need to be investing in our shared future, not subsidizing the wealth of Texas oil companies.”

The Trudeau Liberals have no actual plan for transitioning to the low-carbon economy, said Weaver. “This is a massive missed opportunity to make Canada a global leader in climate solutions. Worse, his insistence in pushing this project through despite significant Indigenous and community opposition risks everything that makes Canada great — our commitment to human rights, our beautiful natural environment and our international reputation as a peaceful nation of hard workers unafraid to tackle challenges before us.”