The House

Cutting off oil to B.C. in fight over pipeline has to be an option, says Jason Kenney

Alberta's opposition leader, Jason Kenney, says the province needs to leave its options open when it comes to choosing how to respond to the feud over the Kinder Morgan Trans Mountain pipeline expansion.
Jason Kenney smiles as he speaks into a microphone. He's wearing a dark suit and green tie.
United Conservative Party Leader Jason Kenney. (Todd Korol/The Canadian Press)

Alberta's opposition leader says the province needs to leave its options open when it comes to choosing how to respond to the feud over the Kinder Morgan Trans Mountain pipeline expansion.

"You don't take anything off the table," Jason Kenney told The House.

Premier Rachel Notley threatened to turn off the taps to British Columbia's oil supply during through this week's throne speech.

"What we are talking about doing is bringing in one tool that we may or may not ever use in a very large range of possibilities," she said.

This comes after weeks of disputes over the expansion of Kinder Morgan's pipeline turned toward the two provincial economies.

Stopping the oil supply is a last resort, Kenney said, but it may eventually come to that if it's perceived as the only way to send a message.

B.C. needs to hear that message loud and clear, Kenney added.

"If they violate the rule of law … there will be consequences."

But he places the onus on the federal government to make the next move to end the tactics of "death by delay."

"The federal government could stop this tomorrow," he said.

However, Kenney said he believes it's possible to fix the problems before the taps are turned off.