Notley was making a campaign stop in Edmonton today, talking to energy workers. She said, “We are this close, this close to getting that pipeline back under construction,” Notley said Monday. “In fact, we expect an approval from the federal government by the end of next month,” according to the Financial Post.
While it may seem that Notley knows something the rest of us are not privy to, the National Energy Board endorsed an expansion of the Trans Mountain pipeline on Feb. 22. This started a 90-day clock ticking for the federal government to decide whether the project should proceed.
Adding up the number of days from February 22, it looks like Trudeau’s government has until May 23, or thereabouts to come to a decision on the pipeline extension.
A tantrum from Jason Kenney won't build a pipeline—but our plan will. We’re closer than ever to shovels in the ground on Trans Mountain, and I won’t stop fighting until the job is done. abvote ableg Notley (@RachelNotley) April 8, 2019
“I’m willing to bet my political future on it, and a whole bunch of other things, too. We’re going to get this pipeline built,” Notley said, reports the Star Edmonton. “Albertans need to have faith that we will get this done.”
Notley is saying that the majority of Canadians, including in British Columbia, approve of the pipeline expansion because they now understand the construction will support jobs and will make the economy stronger. She also mentioned that if her party is reelected on April 16, she would continue to stand up for Alberta’s energy industry, reports CBC Canada.
Rachel Notley now wants to speak out against Justin Trudeau’s tanker ban (C-48). But Rachel Notley was *physically* with Justin Trudeau on the very day the ban was announced – and said nothing! Rachel Notley is over 2 years too late to this fight. oKdSRalOJA
— Jason Kenney (@jkenney) April 8, 2019
Tough words from the opposition
Last Thursday, during a leaders debate, United Conservative Leader Jason Kenney “suggested” that Notley had foolishly tied Alberta’s fortunes to Justin Trudeau’s Liberal government by introducing a carbon tax. Kenney went on to say Alberta had gotten very little in return, other than a ban on tankers off the northern B.C. coast — which hindered the petroleum industry.
Actually, Kenney blames the whole Trans Mountain pipeline mess on Trudeau, going back to the government’s purchase of the pipeline extension from Kinder Morgan in May 2018. The project has been further delayed by a number of court challenges and rulings.
In February this year, the National Energy Board ruled that the project can move ahead despite “significant” environmental impact findings, ruling that the pipeline’s benefits are in the public interest. You could say this is the Energy Board’s way of saying the cost to the environment isn’t that important when it comes to oil.
