As it increasingly looks like the federal government will approve the Kinder Morgan pipeline project, it will be interesting to see how the B.C. political parties react to the decision and how it will factor into next spring’s election outcome.
Of the parties with seats in the legislature, only the B.C. Greens have a clear position. They oppose it outright, full stop.
The B.C. Liberals have set the stage for their own conditional approval of the project, subject to their five conditions being met. But if they are not met by the time the vote rolls around, the party can hardly change its position and suddenly support it.
But it is the New Democratic Party that has the biggest challenge if the Trudeau government does indeed green-light the contentious pipeline. Just how volatile the issue is for New Democrats was illustrated last week when party leader John Horgan, in a series of interviews, said he could be “persuaded” to back the project under certain and unspecified conditions.
He said he “would look at the facts when they come forward and deliberate with those involved and see how they feel and then come forward with a position” on any federal approval.
A responsible response by a leader who wants to see all the facts before saying yay or nay to a substantial project. Except for one problem: the NDP is on record as being adamantly opposed to the project. Horgan, who emphasized he doesn’t think the project, at the moment, merits his support nevertheless opened the door just a crack to that option.
But his comments were met with outrage on social media, as the environmental side of his party went ballistic over him even suggesting keeping an open mind on the issue. Less than 24 hours later, Horgan was forced to recant on Twitter, saying the project could not go forward because it was too risky.
Horgan’s background has a heavy dose of experience in the energy sector of the provincial government. In the 1990s, he was a special advisor to then-NDP Energy Minister Dan Miller and later his chief of staff when he became interim premier.
On their watch, the seeds were sown for what would become a flourishing oil and gas sector in B.C., one that built pipelines. So it’s no surprise Horgan doesn’t want to slam the door completely shut on that sector, but he has been reminded that the environmental wing of the NDP – and not the leader – determines any course of action on that front.
In the meantime, the B.C. Liberals delightfully sit back and watch, knowing their chief opponent has some serious internal divisions when it comes to energy development.
Keith Baldrey is chief political reporter for Global B.C.
