– anti-pipeline BC NDP Premier John Horgan (BC Hansard, Apr. 17, 2018)
MEDICINE HAT, AB: British Columbians can expect to continue to pay soaring prices for gasoline if Premier John Horgan’s NDP government continues to obstruct pipeline construction according to United Conservative Leader Jason Kenney.
While visiting candidates Drew Barnes (Cypress-Medicine Hat) and Michaela Glasgo (Brooks-Medicine Hat), Kenney renewed his vow to use legislation to scale back exports of Alberta crude to BC-based refineries if that province’s NDP government continues to obstruct the Trans Mountain Pipeline Expansion.
BC Premier John Horgan was assured by his fellow New Democrat Rachel Notley that she would not turn off the taps (see Backgrounder).
“In recent days, lower mainland BC has been paying through the nose for gasoline,” Kenney said. “Unless John Horgan ends his unconstitutional fight against Alberta energy exports, the people of BC will need to get used to paying well over $1.70/L for gas as the result of NDP anti-pipeline obstructionism.”
BC’s NDP government is still working to stop the Trans Mountain expansion, fighting in the BC Court of Appeal just last month. Alberta’s NDP government finally caved to United Conservative pressure to pass ‘Turn of the Taps’ legislation, but failed to proclaim it, let alone ever use it.
Next Tuesday will mark one year since the NDP took UCP advice and introduced Bill 12. Since then, precisely 0 kilometres of the Trans Mountain expansion has been built and the private sector abandoned the project entirely.
Kenney announced today that a United Conservative government would proclaim Bill 12, the ‘Turn off the Taps’ law, on its first day in office.
“Albertans see through the NDP’s phony fight for pipelines,” Kenney said. “Voters remember the NDP’s historic opposition to our energy industry, including their campaign against the Northern Gateway and Keystone XL pipelines, the appointment of anti-pipeline radicals like Tzeoporah Berman, Ed Whittingham, their Cabinet Ministers protesting pipelines, and so much more. Albertans want real action to defend our jobs and way of life, not more bad political theatre from the NDP that has done so much damage to our energy industry.”
“That is why on day one of a UCP government, we will proclaim into law the Turn off the Taps legislation, and let Premier Horgan know that we will not roll over in the face of his governments unconstitutional efforts to block our energy,” Kenney announced.
Rachel Notley’s NDP government repeatedly dismissed the threat posed to the Trans Mountain expansion by the Horgan NDP in British Columbia. Despite the BC NDP openly campaigning against Trans Mountain, Rachel Notley dismissed their threat after they came to office, saying, “The BC government has stopped talking about stopping the pipeline and instead, they’re talking about ensuring that it meets high standards.”
Since 2017, Jason Kenney had been calling for the Government of Alberta to turn off the taps to BC if their anti-pipeline activism didn’t halt. Rachel Notley mocked and dismissed the suggestion repeatedly (see Backgrounder).
Alberta’s NDP government, all talk and no action on pipelines, never actually used Bill 12.
In recent days, gasoline prices have skyrocketed in Vancouver, reaching an all-time high of $1.67L on Thursday.
Backgrounder
Rachel Notley mocking Jason Kenney for wanting to Turn Off the Taps
Rachel Notley: “He’s approaching and recommending a very isolationist view of how Alberta should engage with the rest of the country. He’s just not going to build a pipeline by crossing his arms, sticking out his lower lip, pouting, and then somehow suggesting that the answer to it is to ask Kinder Morgan to actually stop shipping what they’re already shipping in order to get this done. I mean, none of this makes sense. It is rhetorical, it’s not logical, it doesn’t make sense, and that’s exactly the same kind of strategy that we see south of the border.” (CTV, Dec. 3, 2017)
Rachel Notley: “First and foremost, I don’t believe we can build a strong Canada by building walls.” (Twitter, Nov. 30, 2017)
Rachel Notley: “Having temper tantrums, grandstanding, and doing what they do pretty much from the minute they get up in the morning and look in the mirror does not help. It really doesn’t. What we are doing does.” (Hansard, Dec. 5, 2017)
Rachel Notley: “I’ll tell you what we won’t do. We will not yell. We will not scream. We will not build a wall. We will not act like someone from south of the border. We will work respectfully and collaboratively with our colleagues across the country.” (Hansard, Dec. 4, 2017).
BC NDP leader John Horgan and Attorney General David Eby dismissing Alberta legislation
John Horgan: “When I asked premier Notley what her intentions were she said their legislative session is very brief and they were going to bring in enabling legislation and they didn’t necessarily think they were going to act on it.” (Global News, Apr. 15, 2018)
John Horgan: “The Premier of Alberta has said she does not want to proceed with the legislation.” (BC Hansard, Apr. 17, 2018)
David Eby: “Clearly the legislation is a bluff. They don’t intend to use it.” (Canadian Press, Apr. 17, 2018)
BC NDP leader Horgan said “she [Notley] had no intention of persuading” on pipelines (Vancouver Sun, Dec. 6, 2016)
Court of Queen’s Bench of Alberta
British Columbia (Attorney General) v Alberta (Attorney General)
Memorandum of Decision of the Hon. Mr. Justice R.J. Hall – February 22, 2019
“The [AG of BC’s] affidavit goes on to say that British Columbia cannot replace that supply from viable sources. It says that reductions in supply from Alberta will cause shortages in British Columbia and that the result could be increased prices, lack of supply and civil unrest in British Columbia. The affidavit makes interesting reading as to B.C.’s supply of gasoline and diesel fuel, and its dependence upon Alberta.”
