At Issue Alberta pushes for a West-Coast pipeline
Oct 3, 2025
Chantal Hébert, a veteran political columnist with expertise in federal-provincial politics, joins Althia Raj, a political commentator focusing on party dynamics. They dive into Alberta's controversial west-coast pipeline proposal, discussing its political implications and potential conflicts with British Columbia. The conversation shifts to the NDP leadership race, exploring candidates' visions for revitalization and the party's identity struggles. Additionally, they analyze the Liberal government's strategy in establishing new agencies and the impact of leadership management styles.
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Political Signal, Not A Project
- Danielle Smith's pipeline announcement is primarily a political move to force the federal government to take a position on tanker bans and climate policy.
- Chantal Hébert argues this pressures Prime Minister Carney to choose between Western energy priorities and climate commitments.
High Political Cost Of Forcing A Pipeline
- Asking the federal government to override provincial and Indigenous opposition is a high political bar and risks scrapping popular climate measures like the tanker ban.
- Andrew Coyne warns it's unclear if equivalent safety can be achieved without the tanker ban.
Federal Options Short Of Binary Decisions
- Mark Carney can use C-5 to carve out exemptions rather than make a binary decision on the tanker ban immediately.
- Althia Raj suggests the federal government may nudge Alberta with regulatory concessions in exchange for commitments on emissions.