British Columbia Premier Christy Clark sent Alberta Premier Alison Redford an email yesterday asking if they could meet in Calgary next weekend. While they appear to be cut from similar ideological cloth, the two conservative Premiers have clashed in the media over the construction of the controversial Enbridge Northern Gateway Pipeline. If built, the pipeline would ship raw bitumen from Alberta to the BC port of Kitimat where it would be shipped to China for processing.
Under past Premiers Ralph Klein, Ed Stelmach, and Gordon Campbell, the conservative governments of Canada’s two western-most provinces enjoyed very friendly relationships. Vocal opposition to the pipeline, largely based around concerns about environmental impact and the transit of large oil tankers through the narrow Douglas Straight, has pushed the normally free-market loving BC Liberals away from the project. Premier Clark is also facing a strong NDP opposition. According to the latest poll, Adrian Dix‘s NDP sits 17% ahead of the BC Liberals.
As some political observers have mentioned, Premier Clark may use her time shaking some fundraising money from corporate Calgary in advance of next year’s provincial election.
With the next BC provincial election set for May 14, 2013, Premier Redford may want to start outreaching to Mr. Dix in hopes that his party might take a pragmatic approach and soften its stance on the Northern Gateway Pipeline if it forms government.
Or perhaps the re-election of President Barack Obama in November’s American elections will once again shift focus to the construction of the Keystone XL Pipeline from Alberta to Texas? Wildrose opposition leader Danielle Smith might have some insight to share on this topic. Ms. Smith is currently in the middle of a three-week trip of the United States to meet with political and policy leaders.
Stranger things have happened.
Meanwhile, expatriate Albertan Ken Boessenkool was dismissed this week from his role as Premier Clark’s Chief of Staff after he was involved in an incident where he acted inappropriately.
Mr. Boessenkool, who has strong-ties to Prime Minister Stephen Harper‘s office and was a signatory of the infamous “Alberta Firewall” letter, briefly managed Premier Clark’s leadership campaign in 2011 before a decree from the Conservative Party of Canada forbid its officials from participating in the contest.
Earlier this year, Mr. Boessenkool left his job at the public relations and lobbyist company Hill & Knowlton and his position with the newly formed ‘Alberta Blue Committee‘ to run the Premier’s Office in Victoria.
7 replies on “Christy Clark is coming to Calgary. Is she looking for common ground on the Northern Gateway Pipeline or is it a pre-election ploy?”
Does anyone really believe Adrian Dix is anti-pipeline? Given his base of support and funding, all those unions who are salivating at the thought of the jobs pipeline construction will bring, isn’t it more likely that his opposition to the pipeline will soften as soon as he becomes Premier? At that point, he’ll start talking about BC benefit too, because he knows he can only delay (not kill) NGP. At least Christy is being somewhat honest in this whole thing. It’s sad that the Government of Alberta chose to over-react to BC’s opening round of negotiations. BC doesn’t want a piece of royalties, but they do want something, and Alberta needs to sit down with them and talk about it. it’ll be too late to save Christy though.
Any meeting is better then none.
Has Calgary become the Capital??
Northern Alberta should be concerned about this!
Christy Clark has come out of this debacle looking a whole lot better than Alison Redford. Redford mischaracterized the “benefits” comment and then tried to turn it into a constitutional football…talk about an overreaction. Not only did Clark give Redford some time to calm down, she made the first move by requesting a meeting. Clark may not win the next election but she certainly has class.
Calm down Archie, Premier Clark requested a Calgary meeting because she was going to be there anyway. No one is moving the capital of Alberta. (Yet…bwaaa haaa haaa haaa…)
Was Boessenkool’s dismissal related to that creepy “prom night stalker” photo above?
The province of BC and the citizens, have no say in Alberta, nor to their people. Alberta is dictating to BC and their citizens regarding the Enbridge pipeline. Premier Redford seems to think, it is her God given right, to force her dirty Bitumen onto BC. The citizens of BC did not ask Premier Redford for her precious money. Christy Clark did, and we don’t want her either. Premier Redford is welcome to keep her precious money and her Bitumen, all to herself.
Canadians are in disbelief, Harper and Redford are selling the tar sands out to Red China. China has been showing a lot of aggression around the globe. Other country’s are having to escort China out of their territories. Harper and Redford have brought that country, right onto our Canadian soil. We want nothing to do with that country, what-so-ever.
Red China hacked into other country’s secret files. They sold infected electronic components to other country’s. U.S. missiles and other weapons, had infected components purchased from Red China. The U.S. is banning China from buying into their wind farms. Other company’s from China, will also be asked to leave.
Russia just signed a deal with Red China. They will give China, all the oil they want. China has the lead in oil sales now. They will sell oil by their yaun, instead of the dollar. China expects to take over the worlds currency, within ten years.
Harper has permitted China to bring over their cheap labor. Harper has permitted other company’s to bring in China’s cheap labor too. Harper even said. China can bring swarms over, to build the Enbridge pipeline. Harper gave Red China the refining jobs too.
Red China and their slave wages, will refine the dirty Bitumen for resale. They will make a very good profit, from Harper and Redford’s dirty, cheap oil.
Harper and Premier Redford are traitors to Canada. This is High Treason. MacKay is beside himself with excitement. China is permitting Harper and MacKay, to install a military base in China.
Harper had better bring over his Red army from China, to force the Enbridge pipeline into BC. People in BC opposing the Enbridge pipeline, are eco terrorists, so named by one of Harper’s ranting and raving henchmen, Oliver.
[…] I wrote earlier this week, Premier Redford may have to wait for an NDP Premier to be elected in BC before a more pragmatic […]