MORE TRANS MOUNTAIN,

Any British Columbian attempts to take Alberta to court over this province’s oil control bill will ultimately fail, the government says.

Alberta Energy Minister Margaret McCuaig-Boyd said Tuesday her government has had plenty of advice about the bill, and she is “absolutely confident” Alberta is on strong legal ground.

The legislation, tabled Monday, will give McCuaig-Boyd ultimate authority over crude oil, natural gas or refined fuels being shipped out of the province.

Under Bill 12, she can decide if a company needs an export licence to send oil and gas outside Alberta’s borders — and it’s up to her whether or not she’ll grant one.

In question period Monday, B.C. Premier John Horgan said it was “critically important that the government of Alberta act in a lawful manner” in the pipeline squabble.

“I’m very certain, once we review the legislation ... we’ll find again that they are violating legal rules with respect to restricting access,” he said.

B.C. Attorney General David Eby added outside the house that the Constitution forbids energy discrimination.

“If there is anything in this legislation that even suggests the possibility of discrimination against British Columbians, we will take every step necessary to protect British Columbians because it would be completely illegal,” Eby said.

But McCuaig-Boyd poohpoohed Eby’s suggestion of illegality, saying provinces have the constitutional right to control exports. If he’d only read Bill 12, she said, Eby would see no reference to his province.

“(This bill) absolutely does not target B.C. — it targets exports going in any direction,” McCuaigBoyd told reporters on her way into the legislature Tuesday.

Bill 12 is the latest development in an increasingly bitter pipeline dispute between Alberta and B.C. The saga kicked up a notch last week when Kinder Morgan announced it was halting all non-essential spending on the $7.4-billion Trans Mountain pipeline expansion project.

McCuaig-Boyd also welcomed Saskatchewan jumping into the fray with its own legislation.

Alberta and its eastern neighbour didn’t consult on their respective bills, she said, but her government “appreciates that they also see the importance of the energy industry to Alberta and to the country.”

Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe said Monday his government was still ironing out the details, but the legislation would likely involve a similar permitting process to Alberta’s Bill 12.

“We do ship some energy products to British Columbia but not a huge amount. The majority of the energy products that are shipped to British Columbia come from Alberta,” said Moe in Regina.

“What we’re saying is if they (Alberta) turn off those taps, Saskatchewan won’t be here to fill those (B.C.) fuel tanks.”