A restaurant owner in Fort McMurray has decided to pull her selection of British Columbia wines off her menu as a way supporting her community and province in an ongoing dispute over the Kinder Morgan pipeline.
Karen Collins, owner of Asti Trattoria Italiana, has recently taken down her selection of eight wines from British Columbia and replaced them with wines from other parts of the world.
“I really am very, very passionate about my community and my province,” Collins told CTV News Channel on Saturday. “I have nothing against the wineries in B.C. at all, but it’s the only thing I can say: ‘You know what? I am not supporting the economy of B.C.’”
Last week, the British Columbia government abruptly announced plans to ban increased shipments of diluted bitumen off its coast until it can determine how prepared companies are when it comes to cleaning up a potential spill.
“What they’re doing is they’re restricting our ability to get our product to market and that affects my community directly as well as my province,” said Collins. “I don’t agree with it.”
Alberta Premier Rachel Notley has called for federal intervention in the matter and has already threatened to suspend electricity-purchasing talks with the province, which she estimates could cost British Columbia around $500 million annually.
With tensions between the provinces running high, Collins says her decision is meant to show her support for the community, not create an additional rift between the provinces.
“I hope it doesn’t lead to a wider a tension between the two provinces, I know this has started a conversation, if nothing else,” she said. “People are talking and I really want our governments to talk.”
