Burnaby city council had its own discussion Monday night as MPs met in Ottawa for an emergency House of Commons debate on the pipeline.
Council discussed Alberta Premier Rachel Notley’s announcement Monday that her government has introduced new legislation to give them power to restrict the export of natural gas, crude oil and refined fuels.
Coun. Colleen Jordan said it was “a bit of a wild weekend.”
“Alberta introduced legislation that looks a lot like punishment to me,” she said, noting the loss of oil jobs in Burnaby over the last few years. “Was anybody protesting or threatening or asking to bring in the army when that happened?”
Mayor Derek Corrigan is saying that Rachel Notley and PM Trudeau’s claims that what Burnaby is doing is illegal is fabricated. Said Trudeau is setting up a straw man to tear it down. #kindermorgan
— (@laurby) April 17, 2018
Mayor Derek Corrigan was also unhappy with Alberta’s proposed new law.
“Despite the fact the premier is taking a very combative attitude, I’m not going to embargo Burnaby (products) from going back to Alberta, but it is a reality that this so-called trade war does nothing for Canadian unity,” he said. “The division that is being caused by Alberta holding its breath until it turns blue to get what it wants isn’t going to do anything.”
One good thing to come from this, Corrigan said, is a glimpse of the influence the oil industry has on politics.
“Now the public is getting to see right in front of their eyes what goes on in the backrooms in Ottawa on an ongoing basis. Now you see the kind of influence these multinational corporations have on candidates,” he said.
Coun. Pietro Calendino brought up the idea of the pipeline being “the saviour of the economy,” and asked why the federal government isn’t financially backing housing or veterans instead.
Coun. Dan Johnston said the federal government talks about Indigenous people’s rights and reconciliation, but did not adequately include them in the process of approving the pipeline.
