Brian Gallant to push Energy East pipeline with Rachel Notley

New Brunswick Premier Brian Gallant says he plans to push the Energy East pipeline project with Alberta's incoming premier.

Rachel Notley will be sworn in as premier in the coming weeks, after her NDP defeated the Progressive Conservatives on Tuesday night, forming a majority government.

The outgoing government supported TransCanada Corp.'s plan to send Alberta's oil to New Brunswick via the proposed pipeline.

"I didn't see anything that would lead me to believe that the support of Alberta for Energy East pipeline would change in any way," said Gallant. "But I'll hopefully have the chance to speak to [Notley] directly."

"You can be certain that on behalf of all New Brunswickers, and people who think we have to focus on creating jobs, I'll bring up the importance of the Energy East pipeline."

You can be certain that on behalf of all New Brunswickers, and people who think we have to focus on creating jobs, I'll bring up the importance of the Energy East pipeline.- Brian Gallant, New Brunswick premier

During the Alberta election campaign, the Progressive Conservatives tried to paint Notley as being anti-pipeline.

She had said her party would move away from the Northern Gateway pipeline, which would take oil from Alberta to tankers on the B.C. coast, and that she would let the debate about the Keystone XL pipeline, which would take oil from Alberta to refineries and ports on the Gulf Coast, play itself out in the United States.

Notley did express support for the $12-billion Energy East project, however, suggesting it has more potential than the other two.

The proposed 4,600-kilometre pipeline would carry 1.1 million barrels a day of oilsands crude from western Canada to the Irving Oil refinery in Saint John and to the Canaport export terminal, located at the entrance to Saint John Harbour.

The idea has run into some opposition. The National Energy Board has received 1,805 applications to participate in hearings on the proposed pipeline.

TransCanada Corp. recently announced it is dropping plans for a terminal in Cacouna, Que., following a government recommendation to recognize beluga whales as an endangered species.

The completion date of the proposed pipeline has also been pushed back by two years to 2020.