In the meantime, the NDP government in British Columbia has filed a constitutional question with the B.C. Court of Appeal last week to answer whether the province has jurisdiction regarding regulation of the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion project between Alberta and the B.C. coast, reports CTV News Canada.
In a press release, the Justice Minister said, “We are confident in Parliament’s jurisdiction and will intervene on the question in order to defend our clear jurisdiction over interprovincial pipelines.” Gaining “intervener” status means the federal government will be able to participate in the court proceedings.
The expansion of Kinder Morgan’s Trans Mountain Pipeline would allow for diluted bitumen oil from Alberta’s oilsands to be transported to the B.C. coast for export overseas. The B.C. province, First Nations communities and environmental groups have vowed to fight the expansion by “any means possible.”
However, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has made the pipeline expansion a key part of his government’s efforts to grow the economy while at the same time protecting the environment.
Needless to say, a lot of water has gone over the dam in the last few months, with tempers rising and Alberta Premier Rachel Notley threatening to turn off the taps on oil and natural gas shipments to B.C. She also tried a wine boycott in the province and that didn’t help matters.
The straw that broke the camel’s back came as Kinder Morgan suspending all non-essential spending on the project last month, citing B.C’s opposition to the pipeline expansion. The energy company has given the federal government until May 31 to provide assurances that the project can go on.
