Redford, Clark make little progress at 'frosty' meeting
Alberta, B.C. premiers each say other needs to move on Northern Gateway project
CBC News
Posted: Oct 1, 2012 5:01 PM PT
Last Updated: Oct 2, 2012 11:59 AM PT
Alberta Premier Alison Redford met with B.C. Premier Christy Clark on Monday over the Northern Gateway oil pipeline project, and both women agreed the meeting was unproductive and “frosty.”
“Well, I'm an Albertan and when you talk about sharing Alberta's royalties with other jurisdictions, things tend to get a little bit frosty,” said Redford.
Clark is in Calgary this week and spoke with Redford about the five conditions B.C. says needs to be met before the province will support Enbridge's bid to build the pipeline. The project would run from the Alberta oilsands across B.C. to the port of Kitimat.
“We’re about the environment and there is no price that can be put on protecting our environment in British Columbia — there is none,” said Clark on Monday.
“We’ve set out the conditions. We’ve said that we have to have the world’s best spill response on land and on the ocean. If we can get those — and if this passes the environmental review — then we can talk about the last one, the fifth. But, until we get those first three settled and done, this project can’t go ahead.”
The fifth condition is royalties. Clark said Monday that that is the last and least important of all the conditions.
Redford, however, said that she agrees with Clark on the first four conditions, saying the project must lead on environment.
Redford says she won't budge on royalties
The Alberta premier then reiterated that she would not budge on the issue of royalties. Redford said it’s now up to Clark on how the project could generate revenue, and said she is open to hearing new ideas.
Clark said that while the project is important for Canada, it’s not a big deal for B.C. because the province has other booming industries, like natural gas.
Clark is scheduled to speak to public policy students at the University of Calgary on Tuesday.
Share Tools
Latest British Columbia News Headlines
- Great-grandmother graduates high school in B.C.
- A great-grandmother who has waited 56 years to get her high school diploma can finally cross that dream off her bucket list. more »
- B.C. First Nation sets fires to save bison
- A First Nation band is reviving the age-old practice of controlled burning in order to improve the health of forests and restore the population of the wood bison in a corner of northeastern B.C. more »
- Sopranos star James Gandolfini dies in Italy
- James Gandolfini, whose portrayal of a brutal, emotionally delicate mob boss in HBO's 'The Sopranos' helped create one of TV's greatest drama series and turned the mobster stereotype on its head, died Wednesday in Italy. He was 51. more »
- Camilo's 2 goals lead Whitecaps over Chivas USA
- Camilo scored two goals and assisted on another as the Vancouver Whitecaps beat Chivas USA 3-1 in MLS play Wednesday night. more »
Must Watch
Top News Headlines
- Obesity now recognized as a disease
- The American Medical Association has voted to recognize obesity as a disease, while doctors in Canada say they also treat it as such. more »
- B.C. First Nation sets fires to save bison
- A First Nation band is reviving the age-old practice of controlled burning in order to improve the health of forests and restore the population of the wood bison in a corner of northeastern B.C. more »
- 1 in 8 bird species threatened with extinction
- One in eight bird species worldwide faces the threat of extinction, according to a report released by Birdlife International. more »
- Canada buys rare War of 1812 collection for $573K
- The government of Canada was the winning bidder for a large collection of letters, maps and other papers that once belonged to Sir John Sherbrooke, the lieutenant-governor of Nova Scotia who conquered Maine for the British during the War of 1812. The collection sold for $573,000 at auction in London. more »
- B.C. teacher duct-taped students' mouths
- B.C. backcountry mobile maps cause concern
- Parents of son 'brutally beaten' playing hockey want charges
- Police probe death of woman, 27, in Kelowna home
- Hundreds attend 'Change Brazil' protest in Vancouver
- Trumps announce exclusive tower deal in Vancouver
- Christy Clark reverses pay hikes for B.C. political aides
- Failed condo pre-sale deal costs Vancouver buyer $750K
- The class photo that made a father cry

