Nechako Lakes MLA John Rustad couldn`t be any more disappointed with the NDP government`s handling of the Kinder Morgan pipeline that led to an ongoing squabble with Alberta Premier Rachel Notley.
On Tuesday, the federal government bought the Trans Mountain project with a total cost of $4.5 billion dollars.
Rustad doesn`t pull any punches when discussing the actions of BC Premier John Horgan.
“I’m very disappointed in premier John Horgan enforcing this to have to be nationalized, I think it’s incredibly wrong that British Columbia has taken the position it has to drive out private sector investment and have to see the nationalization of a project like this.”
He is one of three Northern BC MLA’s (Shirley Bond and Mike Morris) to share the same sentiment towards Horgan and company on this issue.
Rustad believes this project is crucial if Canada has any shot of getting its oil to the international market.
“I think it’s incredibly wrong that Canada cannot get it’s oil to international markets – we subsidize the Americans to the tune of 16 billion dollars a year because we can’t get international prices and we need to get a project to the ocean and Kinder Morgan can do that.”
He adds the risks involving the pipeline only heightens due to the public money being shelled out by the taxpayers.
“The challenge with the federal government taking this on is suddenly the taxpayers and the people of this province and right across this country is taking on all of the risks and this means the legal challenges can carry on, the delays can carry on and that the protestors are going to drag through this project.”
The pipeline is expected to ship crude and refined oil from Northern Alberta to BC`s west coast.