Former B.C. Premier Christy Clark is calling out her successor, John Horgan, for what she calls an âunconstitutionalâ attempt to kill the Trans Mountain pipeline project.
In an interview with CTVâs Question Period, Clark echoed Alberta Premier Rachel Notleyâs accusations that B.C. is illegally trying to stop Kinder Morganâs $7.4-billion project, which has already earned federal approval.
âI think heâs breaking the law,â Clark said. âI think he is doing something unconstitutional. Alberta and British Columbia have been the best of friends in Canada for a long, long time and I donât think you attack your friends.â
Clark added that Horganâs response means âCanadians are losing out.â
âThere are rules. Itâs been approved, itâs been properly approved,â she said. âWhat heâs doing is trying to set up a system where it cannot get to âyesâ and deliberately frustrating it so the project will get cancelled. He doesnât have the constitutional right to do that.â
Last week, B.C. said it planned to review limits on diluted bitumen shipments over concerns about a possible oil spill â a risk the province fears would spell disaster for its environment and economy.
In response, Alberta stopped talks on plans to buy electricity from B.C. Notley later announced a province-wide ban on B.C. wine imports, effective immediately.
Last week, Notley called on Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to take a stand on the issue. Trudeau has said he doesnât plan on wading into the inter-provincial spat, but that Kinder Morgan will be built.
Clark also called on Trudeau to step in âfor the good of the country.â
âIf the Prime Minister wants to get into a fight with premiers, the one worth getting into is the one over Kinder Morgan,â she said. âHeâs going to be in a fight either way, thatâs the fight I think they should pick, and I think itâs one they would win on behalf of all Canadians.â
Time to âtake temperature downâ: McKenna
Environment Minister Catherine McKenna defended the federal governmentâs response and said itâs time to âtake the temperature down.â
âWeâve been very clear that this project, the approval, was well within out jurisdiction, and itâs going to go ahead,â McKenna told CTVâs Question Period. âOnce we make a decision, we need to show that it goes through.â
Federal officials are in closed-door talks with the B.C. government, McKenna said.
On Thursday, the federal government updated its environmental assessment process for energy projects, including a new two-year timeline to approve or deny projects and a commitment to consider Indigenous rights and health, social and economic effects.
McKenna shut down criticism leveled by some that the new regulations undermine current projects, such as the Trans Mountain pipeline.
One of those critics was Clark.
âTheyâre absolutely wrong,â McKenna said. âIâm not taking any lessons from former premier Clark.â
âWe mean businessâ: UCP Leader Kenney
Alberta Opposition leader Jason Kenney, who has previously supported Notleyâs fight against the B.C. government, said he thinks itâs still the right approach, but said while Alberta means business, âwe donât need a trade war.â
The United Conservative Party Leader joined Clark and Notley in pushing for Trudeau to intervene.
âThe feds could stop it tomorrow if the Prime Minister exercised leadership,â Kenney told CTVâs Question Period.
He also warned Horganâs government that Alberta wonât forget B.C.âs actions.
âIf the B.C. government is threatening to violate the constitution, the economic union, which is a central guarantee of our constitution, they canât do it without repercussions,â he said.
Singh avoids taking sides
As tensions deepen between the two NDP-led provinces, federal NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh stopped short of taking a side, though as the federal NDP leader he is opposed to Kinder Morgan.
âWhat I do support is the fact that Premier Notley is doing exactly what she said, defending her economy, defending the people of Alberta, and Premier Horgan is doing exactly what he said, defending the interest of the people of British Columbia, of the coastline, and the environment,â Singh said.
He placed the blame with Trudeau for the current predicament and, like Clark, Notley and Kenney, called on the prime minister to âstep up.â