So if we have this right, Premier Christy Clark said the Kinder Morgan pipeline would not be approved by the province unless it met five conditions. Although Clark also said the province was not able to block the project. Which is it?
As she told the media last week, “This wasn’t a project that was ours to approve. It was the federal government’s. … Our job was to fight for the best interest of British Columbians.”
So, are we meant to admire Clark for extorting more money and jobs from Kinder Morgan when she really didn’t have the power to stop the pipeline in any case?
On the one hand, perhaps she is correct. She stickhandled this the best way she could to gain the most (economically) for B.C.
On the other hand, why should we have faith that she won’t sell out for a bit more money if Kinder Morgan falls short of meeting whatever requirements they’re now supposed to meet in B.C.?
What we are sure of is there is now a clear choice between the NDP and the Liberals on the pipeline. We think.
NDP leader John Horgan has stepped fully off the fence and says the NDP will not allow the pipeline to proceed. Clark is firmly for the pipeline.
But wait. If the province truly has no say in the pipeline’s future – then what Horgan says is pretty worthless, isn’t it?
Easy to make promises and then shrug your shoulders after the election, if you win, and say you’ll try everything in your power to stop it – but, well, it’s kind of too late.
But at least he’s taking a stand. And it might be a critical one in Burnaby, where Anne Kang is running in Burnaby-Deer Lake (Kathy Corrigan’s former riding) and Horgan is hoping the NDP can take Burnaby North back from the Liberal Richard Lee. And then there’s Burnaby-Lougheed, where Liberal Steve Darling is facing off against Jane Shin’s successor, Burnaby school trustee Katrina Chen.
It will be interesting to see if the pipeline carries any weight with Burnaby voters come May 9. Will the only voters who care be the ones close to the new pipeline?
We await with bated breath.
