Alberta Premier Jason Kenney says the Supreme Court of Canada’s “unprecedented” dismissal of British Columbia’s move to stop Trans Mountain pipeline expansion project should “send a message” to Quebec that it can’t block the Energy East pipeline project.
During a Global News Radio interview over the weekend, Kenney bluntly criticized the federal government and federal regulatory processes for major projects such as pipelines and oil sands developments. Asked about the proposed-then-withdrawn Energy East pipeline project, the premier quipped that it’s been easier for Russia to build a pipeline through Europe than for a pipeline company to build a project across Canada.
“They’re having an easier job building a similar pipeline across the 28 member states of the European Union than we can in Canada. This is just bizarre,” Kenney said.
To read the entire Financial Post article, click here.
Kenney’s interview was notable given the sharpness of his comments about a proposed oil sands development and the recent Supreme Court unanimous decision to dismiss B.C.’s case to restrict heavy oil shipments across its borders.
Kenney said it was “unprecedented” that the Supreme Court would rule, after just 30 minutes to confer, on such an important case.
“So this should send a message to our friends in Quebec as well, who have been claiming that they could stop a possible Energy East pipeline that would take Canadian oil to the Saint John refinery and displace Saudi oil imports in eastern Canada,” Kenney said.
(Financial Post)
