Minister of Natural Resources Jim Carr leaves Parliament Hill after speaking about the recent status of the Kinder Morgan pipeline expansion in Ottawa on Sunday, April 8, 2018. Ministers are hightailing it back to Ottawa to try and salvage the pipeline project they green-lighted 17 months ago. Photo courtesy CBC (Patrick Doyle/Canadian Press)
Cabinet ministers are getting together in Ottawa Tuesday during the middle of a two-week break to try and salvage the Trans Mountain pipeline project.
Kinder Morgan has placed a May 31 deadline for Ottawa to reassure them that construction of the project will be completed without further delays because of opposition from B.C.
The pipeline is within federal jurisdiction and got the green light from the Liberal party 17 months ago.
But B.C. Premier John Horgan says his government, which holds a minority government with the help of three Green Party members in an agreement to fight the pipeline, is protecting the interests of British Columbians by asking the court if it has the right to restrict diluted bitumen shipments.
Opposition in B.C. that threatens to block the pipeline is what Kinder Morgan blamed for stopping all non-essential project work and spending on Sunday.
The trade battle between B.C. and Alberta continues and Alberta Premier Rachel Notley has threatened to reduce domestic oil supplies into B.C. if the legislation passes.
The move would influence gas prices in B.C. to soar.
Notley wants Ottawa to put economic and fiscal pressure on B.C. to back off from its opposition.
Horgan says he spoke with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Notley Sunday to build more refineries instead of pipelines.
Pipeline protesters are taking credit for the slow down of the Kinder Morgan expansion to twin the pipeline.
Spokeswoman Karen Mahon said people are willing to get arrested to stop the project as opponents fear environmental impacts from the risk of oil spills and west coast tanker traffic.
With files from CBC and the Canadian Press.
Andy Neal
