Latest news with #Ottawas

Calgary Herald

Braid: After big national meeting, not much hope for Premier Smith's pipeline dreams

Article content They're called Manitoba and British Columbia. Article content Article content The hard reality was obvious during the national premiers' meetings this week with Prime Minister Mark Carney. Article content Both provinces are run by NDP premiers who find themselves surrounded by conservative premiers. Article content We like to imagine, or hope, that partisanship is being set aside in the drive to get projects done. Its a wonderful dream. Article content Article content But after all the meetings and declarations, the omens are not positive for pipelines. Article content Article content On Monday, a memorandum of understanding on pipelines and energy development was signed by Alberta Premier Danielle Smith, Ontario's Doug Ford and Scott Moe of Saskatchewan. Article content The three conservative premiers enthusiastically support pipelines to B.C.'s north coast and James Bay in Northern Ontario. Article content Asked if he'd been invited to sign on with the conservative premiers, B.C. Premier David Eby said brusquely: 'No.' Article content Further questioned on whether he would have signed if asked, he said 'I haven't read it.' Article content Eby did say, reluctantly, that he'll consider such a pipeline if a private proponent comes on the scene. Article content Smith didn't challenge Eby. Rather, she emphasized her support for LNG exports and various joint economic projects now being discussed with B.C. Article content Article content She seemed to agree that talks won't happen until a private pipeline proponent comes forward. Article content Both premiers know that no backer is likely to emerge until Ottawa lifts the north coast tanker ban implemented by ex-Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in 2019. Article content Otherwise, how do you ship bitumen – by fishing boat? Article content Premier Smith keeps asking Prime Minister Carney to rescind the ban. He becomes very vague. Article content Even if the ban were to end, the B.C. NDP is likely to be as obstructive as they were when the late Premier John Horgan used 'every tool in the toolbox' – his words – to block the Trans Mountain expansion. Article content Eby now talks about how wickedly expensive the Trans Mountain line was ($34 billion) and how Ottawas was forced to buy it. Article content Article content But a huge part of that cost was directly caused by B.C. obstruction at every step of the way. Article content The province, various municipalities and activists dusted off every possible regulation, legal challenge and blockade to slow or halt progress.