If Canada has a plan to save Trans Mountain, cabinet isn’t saying

OTTAWA The Trudeau government held an emergency cabinet meeting on Tuesday aimed at salvaging the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion, but did not come up with plan — at least not one ministers are prepared to talk about.

Federal ministers had nothing to say about how their government might persuade — or force — British Columbia to back off and allow the pipeline to proceed.

“I apologize in advance. I’ve got one minute and I’ve got to catch a plane,” Natural Resources Minister Jim Carr said before making a very brief statement following the two-hour cabinet meeting.

“The government is 100 per cent behind this pipeline. It’s important for Canada. It was made in the national interests. We believe this is important for all regions of the country. We stand behind our decision.”

When asked about Premier Rachel Notley’s suggestion of Alberta buying the pipeline entirely, Carr repeated his comments from the last two days that there are many options on the table and Canada is considering all of them.

Environment Minister Catherine McKenna repeated the statement in French and, officially, that was it.

Infrastructure Minister Amarjeet Sohi, whose Edmonton seat could be at risk if the pipeline expansion fails, was cornered on his way out of the meeting. He wouldn’t discuss cabinet conversations in public but repeated that the government is 100 per cent behind the pipeline.

“We will get it done,” Sohi said. In a sign of the heat the cabinet is feeling over this, Sohi lashed out on Twitter earlier this week at B.C. New Democrat MP Kennedy Stewart for claiming victory after Kinder Morgan announced it’s suspending all non-essential spending on the pipeline until it and its investors feel secure the project won’t be derailed by the B.C. NDP government. Kinder Morgan gave the government a deadline of May 31.

“Next time you fly between B.C. and Ottawa, give thanks to thousands of oil workers who enable you to do your job, while you and (Premier John) Horgan sabotage their livelihood,” Sohi responded.

“Rest assured, your victory lap is temporary. We will use all available tools to get (Trans Mountain) built.”

Finance Minister Bill Morneau said the government is “in discussions” with Notley, Horgan and Kinder Morgan.