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Canada  

No hint of pipeline split

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and brand new B.C. Premier John Horgan bent over backwards to appear congenial after their first meeting Tuesday, avoiding any mention of their differing positions on expanding Kinder Morgan's TransMountain pipeline.

"We're both progressive politicians who got elected on mandates to grow the economy in ways that help the middle class, to protect the environment, to advance the cause of reconciliation with indigenous peoples, and we have an awful lot we agree on deeply," Trudeau gushed.

Horgan thanked Trudeau for being quick with a response to B.C.'s forest fire emergency and noted Trudeau's "deep roots" in B.C. He called him an "ally" who will help the feeling of isolation on the "other side of the Rocky Mountains."

Neither wanted to talk much about Kinder Morgan on Tuesday.

Trudeau's government last fall granted approval for the company to go ahead with the TransMountain pipeline expansion which will nearly triple the capacity to bring almost 900,000 barrels of oil a day from Edmonton, Alta. into a marine terminal in Burnaby. 

Proving Canada can build additional pipelines to help grow the economy and still protect the environment is a key pledge of the Trudeau Liberals; but getting new pipelines built has proven to be a monumental task for both this and the previous Conservative government.

Horgan campaigned on a pledge to block the pipeline, and has a written agreement with the BC Green Party to do everything government can to oppose and block the expansion.

In a mandate letter issued to his new environment minister George Heyman on Monday, Horgan instructed him to "employ every tool available to defend B.C.'s interests in the face of the expansion of the Kinder Morgan pipeline, and the threat of a seven-fold increase in tanker traffic on our coast."



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