Alberta Premier Rachel Notley responded to a proposal issued by the British Columbia government Tuesday for the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion project, saying the province’s western neighbours don’t “have the right to rewrite our Constitution.”
On Tuesday, the B.C. government released what it called a second phase of regulations “to improve preparedness, response and recovery necessary to protect B.C.’s environment.”
“The people of B.C. need to know that there is effective spill management across the province and, in particular, for our most environmentally sensitive areas, including coastlines,” B.C. Environment Minister George Heyman said in a statement.
The B.C. government said it will establish an independent advisory panel to make recommendations on if and how oils could be transported and cleaned up if spilled.
The release said for the second phase, the province would seek feedback in five specific areas, including: response times following potential spills, response plans, compensation in the case of spills, maximizing regulations to marine spills and restricting the increase of the transportation of diluted bitumen transportation, until the “behaviour of spilled bitumen can be better understood.”
The statement also said the government would seek feedback from First Nations, in addition to industry, local governments and environmental groups.
In the hours following the announcement, Alberta Premier Rachel Notley issued a statement in response, saying “having run out of tools in the toolbox, the Government of British Columbia is now grasping at straws.”
Notley said the B.C. government “has every right” to consult with citizens, but “it does not have the right to rewrite our Constitution and assume powers for itself that it does not have.”
“Therefore, the action announced today by the B.C. government can only be seen for what it is: political game-playing,” Notley’s statement continued. “It’s a game that could have serious consequences for the jobs and livelihoods of millions of Canadians who count on their governments to behave rationally and within their scope of authority.”
Kinder Morgan issued a statement to The Canadian Press over the announcement, and said it would participate in the process – but pointed out the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion project was already studied before it was approved.
“The expansion project’s approval by the Government of Canada followed a rigorous and lengthy regulatory process that included a thorough examination of the pipeline and products being shipped.”
With files from The Canadian Press
