Notley warns of new measures next week if no progress in B.C. pipeline talks
Premier Rachel Notley says Alberta's patience won't last forever while waiting for resolution
Alberta may take further action early next week if no tangible progress is made in talks between federal and B.C. officials on the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion.
"Albertans are only so patient," Premier Rachel Notley said at a public event in Edmonton on Friday. "We do have other tools at our disposal."
What Notley has in mind remains a mystery, but is likely to be one of the measures discussed behind closed doors at the first meeting of her market access task force Wednesday.
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Notley's decision to draw a line in the sand is the latest step in the two-week battle with British Columbia.
The dispute started in late January when B.C.'s environment minister proposed to restrict shipments of diluted bitumen while his province studies the risk of oil spills on the Pacific coast.
Notley has called the move unconstitutional and illegal, and has asked the federal government to intervene.
Last week, Notley got national attention when she announced the Alberta Gaming and Liquor Commission would no longer import B.C. wine.
Talks between B.C. and federal officials have been underway for the last week in hopes of resolving the dispute.
The Alberta premier has said she is willing to give the process some time but that she won't wait forever.
B.C.'s measures are taking "dead aim" at the future of Canada's climate change policy, Notley said, and are putting investor certainty at risk.
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Notley also suggested that B.C. Premier John Horgan was playing to environmental groups and the B.C. Green Party, whose support his minority government needs to stay in power, instead of watching out for working people.
"When governments don't play by the rules, when governments choose to work for special interests and not work for people, then regular people and families suffer," Notley said before an audience of students at a pipeline fitting training facility in Edmonton.
An online petition directed at Horgan and his government has gathered more than 25,000 names since the Alberta government launched it on Tuesday.