Notley unveils high-profile task force to counter BC ‘attack’
Posted February 9, 2018 3:51 pm.
Last Updated February 9, 2018 5:53 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
CALGARY, AB. (NEWS 1130) – Premier Rachel Notley has unveiled a task force she says will defend Alberta jobs from BC’s “unconstitutional attack” on the Trans Mountain Pipeline expansion, but she wouldn’t give details on exactly what the high-profile group will consider or when they will act.
The task force is the latest salvo in Alberta’s increasingly militant response to a call last week by the BC government for more consultations on oil spill readiness and a limit on increased diluted bitumen shipments until it’s confident in response measures.
The move is seen as an attempt by British Columbia to delay and hamper building of the $7.4-billion pipeline expansion to triple its Alberta oil shipments to the West Coast (ending in Burnaby), even though the line has been approved by the federal government.
Recap: “We secured the approval of a new pipeline to tidewater to export energy products that support tens of thousands of jobs across this country.” #ableg #abpoli #bcpoli pic.twitter.com/wl7iTWegSK
— Rachel Notley (@RachelNotley) February 8, 2018
On Tuesday, Notley announced Alberta will no longer import BC wines, ending trade that added up to $70 million worth of BC wine last year. The province has also said it won’t negotiate to import BC electricity.
“I know a lot of Albertans who love BC wine, quite frankly I’m one of them, just like I know a lot of British Columbians who love to drive their cars, fly in planes, and heat their homes using Alberta energy products,” said Notley earlier this week.
The task force members include former New Brunswick premier Frank McKenna, former deputy prime minister Anne McLellan, former Syncrude Canada president Jim Carter and legal scholar Peter Hogg.
The premier unveiled the initiative on a tour of a steel plant in south Calgary that mAlberta halting BC wine importsakes steel tubing for oil and gas wells.
“We’re going to keep this fight going until this pipeline gets built,” she vowed, drawing scattered applause from the employees.
BC Premier John Horgan responded to the wine halt on Wednesday, saying this province would not boycott any Alberta products amidst the trade spat with our neighbours.
Horgan feels this is not a trade war and he’s not threatening any retaliatory actions. He maintains his focus right now is on this month’s budget which will be tabled on February 20th.
