Phillips named to market task force

Alberta Environment Minister Shannon Phillips was not mincing words Thursday in regards to B.C.’s intentions to delay development of the Trans Mountain Pipeline

“They have no jurisdiction and no business moving forward with these sorts of ridiculous proposals,” she said.

The Alberta government considers pipelines to be the safest, most cost-effective way to move oil to market, and that pipeline delays could be adding $5 per barrel in costs on Alberta oil.

As environment minister and minister responsible for the office of climate change, Phillips has been named to the newly-formed Market Access Task Force to look at ways to provide advice for encouraging and promoting market access for oil by pipeline to tidewater.

It will also look at economic and trade responses to the B.C. government’s proposed restriction and attempts to further frustrate progress on the Trans Mountain Pipeline project.

“B.C. cannot pretend that they are not part of the country,” Premier Rachel Notley told reporters prior to the first meeting of the task force on Wednesday. “They don’t get to assume rights that they clearly don’t have.

“It’s an attack on the economic security, certainty, and well-being of working Albertans and working Canadians throughout our energy sector — including tens of thousands of British Columbians.”

Phillips echoed those sentiments on Thursday.

“It has a real impact on Alberta’s current resource sector,” she said, “And all the hardworking people that rely on it.

“It is a real problem that B.C. is proposing to take unconstitutional measures to get in the way of a project that is already approved by the federal government.”

Last month, the B.C. government announced it was looking at restricting diluted bitumen shipments from Alberta until more environmental testing could be done.

In response, the Alberta government suspended talks to purchase electricity from B.C., and then announced a boycott on B.C. wine and then the creation of the task force.

In order to enlist the help of Albertans, the province has launched a “Keep Canada Working” web page, which lists a number of ways Alberta residents can get involved, including a petition, a link to the government email list to contact MPs and MLAs, and a social media campaign using the hashtag #KeepCanadaWorking.

“Right now, what we’re asking Albertans to do is show their support through the tools we launched yesterday under the Keep Canada Working website,” said Phillips.

Notley has stated the province is willing to use “any and all measures” as it tackles the issue.

Phillips said the task force will be looking at different options internally, and that ultimately, B.C.’s fight is with the federal government.

“B.C. decided to pick this fight with the country,” she said. “This is a fight between Ottawa and B.C.”

She said Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has been “very clear” that B.C.’s attempts to stop the pipeline are attempts to undo Canada’s national plan on climate change.

“Canada doesn’t have a plan on climate change unless Alberta has a plan on climate change,” she said.

“We need to have reasonable, fact-based conversations about Alberta’s resources,” she added. “You cannot do that if you don’t have a climate change plan.

Phillips noted the issue impacts a number of Lethbridge residents.

“We have a number of jobs and a number of people — my constituents — who go to work every day and they pay the bills through Alberta’s resource sector,” she said. “They are this government’s priority.”

She said there are job and business opportunities for Lethbridge to take advantage of.

“(Those opportunities) can come to the city that I represent, which also just happens to be the windiest, sunniest place in Canada,” she said.