Innocent parties hurt in B.C.-Alberta spat

Back in 2015, Oscar-winning actress and activist Jane Fonda paid a visit to B.C. to join the fight against pipelines and big oil.

Fonda took square aim at Kinder Morgan, the Texas-based company backing the controversial Alberta-to-B.C. Trans Mountain pipeline that’s now sparked a trade war between the two provinces.

“I stand with you here today against Kinder Morgan,” Fonda told a boisterous Vancouver rally called “Toast the Coast Before the Coast is Toast.”

Now flash forward two years. British Columbia’s new NDP government is fighting the pipeline, pro-pipeline Alberta is fighting back by banning B.C. wine, and B.C. responded with full-page newspaper ads defending the wine industry.

The hashtag theme of B.C.’s ad campaign? #ToastTheCoast. The pro-pipeline Liberals in the B.C. legislature pointed out the remarkable marketing similarities on Wednesday.

“The ads supposedly support the wine industry,” said Liberal MLA Shirley Bond. “But the ads may well suggest a different agenda. ‘Toast the Coast’ was the rallying cry of those who opposed the Trans Mountain project!”

Bond asked Agriculture Minister Lana Popham “why the government ads mirror the anti-development slogans of her friends” but Popham insisted the ads are not meant to further drag the industry into a political pipeline fight.

“We’re standing right behind them, giving them what they need,” Popham said, revealing the government will designate April as “B.C. Wine Month” and expand shelf space in government liquor stores for B.C. wines.

All of which left new Liberal Leader Andrew Wilkinson shaking his head over the spectacle of two NDP governments using an innocent industry as political ammunition in a pipeline war.

“Get on that plane to Edmonton,” Wilkinson urged Premier John Horgan in the legislature.

“Eat some humble pie. Solve this problem.”

But there’s no way Horgan will go scurrying off to Alberta with his tail between his legs to make nice with Alberta Premier Rachel Notley now.

Horgan is out on a political limb with no way to climb back down. Notley is, too.

Horgan must fight against the pipeline because he’s in bed with the B.C. Green party and faces a revolt from the powerful environmental wing of the NDP if he doesn’t.

Notley must fight for the pipeline because Alberta’s devastated economy needs those higher Asian oil prices and she faces an election next year.

And even though the B.C. government toned down its anti-pipeline rhetoric in this week’s throne speech, Agriculture Minister George Heyman repeated the threat that started the whole war with Alberta: B.C. may block expanded heavy-oil shipments from Alberta during a new pipeline review.

As this political preening and posturing goes on, the collateral damage is mounting.

The B.C. wine industry has been dragged into a fight it has nothing to do with. Alberta has cut off talks on potential electricity purchases from B.C.

And now comes confirmation that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s pro-pipeline federal Liberal government cancelled a news conference with the B.C. government last week to jointly announce child-care funding.

The official reason for the cancellation? A “scheduling conflict.” If you believe that, I have a slightly used Pattullo Bridge I’d like to sell you.

Innocent players are getting hurt in a pipeline war that will only get uglier.