Eby tells Carney it was ‘unacceptable’ for B.C. to be excluded in proposed pipeline talks

Annie Bergeron-Oliver reports on a potential deal between Ottawa and Alberta that could permit a new pipeline and how B.C. could throw a wrench into the plans.

B.C. Premier David Eby says he wants any potential energy deal between Alberta and the federal government to include a cap, or potentially a ban, on the use of taxpayers’ dollars to build a pipeline.

“(Prime Minister Mark Carney) has outlined to me that the agreement with Alberta is not finalized yet, and I took the opportunity of our conversation to outline British Columbia’s perspective,” Eby said in Victoria on Monday.

Speaking to reporters, Eby said he spoke to Carney on Monday morning about the upcoming memorandum of understanding (MOU) between Alberta and Ottawa.

A source in the federal government confirmed to CTV News that Carney and Alberta Premier Danielle Smith intend to announce a deal Thursday in Calgary, though the source cautions final timing is still subject to change.

The MOU could include changes to the industrial carbon price and support for a new pipeline from Alberta to the West Coast, which could require a carveout of the federal tanker ban. Sources also say that exemption could potentially be done through Bill C-5, the One Canadian Economy Act that established the new Major Projects Office (MPO).

Last week, Eby said he was “caught off guard” by the reported terms of the forthcoming deal, claiming he learned about the details through the media.

Eby said he told Carney that it was “unacceptable” for B.C. to not be involved in those talks.

“I underlined for the prime minister how unacceptable it was to me to have Saskatchewan and Alberta speaking about matters in British Columbia without British Columbia at the table,” Eby said.

“This is not something that would happen to Quebec. This is not something that would happen to other provinces in the federation,” Eby also said, adding that he expressed it would be his expectation for B.C. to be “at the table” going forward, and he hopes his “feedback is incorporated into any final agreement.”

Alberta deal ‘getting close’: Minister Hodgson

The B.C. premier also said he told Carney that the support of coastal First Nations is “required” for the proposed Alberta project to move forward.

“I said at a minimum, the coastal First Nations need to be at the table in these conversations about our province,” he said. “I look forward to seeing what the prime minister and Premier Smith bring forward in the coming days, potentially.”

Energy and Natural Resources Minister Tim Hodgson testified before a House of Commons committee on Monday, and was pressed about a potential tanker ban exemption, but he wouldn’t answer directly.

“What I can say is that we will work with proponents who have proposals. We have been clear with the proponents: if they have the support of First Nations, and they have support of the jurisdictions, we will work with them to clear whatever barriers there are,” Hodgson said.

Hodgson did say, however, that a deal with Alberta is “getting close” and Canadians will have “some more clarity” soon.

Before leaving the G20 in South Africa on Sunday, Carney told reporters that discussions were ongoing and described the talks as “constructive.”

“There is a prospect of an agreement, it’s not finalized,” Carney said. “So, in my experience in these things, is when things are not final, it’s better not to overly speculate on where they are going from there.”

When asked whether he was trying to create the conditions necessary to create a new pipeline to the west coast, the prime minister instead focused on what he called his government’s “big picture” agenda.

“What we are looking to do, and what we are doing, is a series of major investments, nation-building projects that make our country stronger, more independent from the United States,” Carney said. “And that these projects are done in a way that benefit and have the full support of Indigenous Peoples and are consistent with our climate goals,” he said.

Carney has made two rounds of announcements related to nation-building projects being referred to the MPO. Neither announcement included an oil pipeline from Alberta to B.C.

Smith, meanwhile, said last week that Alberta intends to submit the pipeline proposal to the MPO next year. The premier has also said she intends to leverage private sector capital to get the pipeline built.

“We know that we’ve got a little bit more work to do on the technical side to be able to submit our pipeline proposal for consideration at the Major Projects Office,” Smith said on Friday. “We’ve targeted the spring on that.”

Public tensions between Eby and Smith over a potential new pipeline from Alberta to B.C.’s north coast have been happening for months, and escalated in October after Smith announced her province would fund the initial planning stages of a pipeline project, despite the absence of a private sector proponent.

Sask. premier ‘disappointed’ in Eby’s comments

Last week, Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe told reporters that he is involved in ongoing negotiations about a deal for a potential pipeline, which prompted Eby to criticize Moe, saying he and Smith “don’t know what they’re talking about.”

When asked about his involvement in an interview with CTV Power Play on Monday, Moe said he has been “advocating” for a pipeline along with other energy projects.

“(Saskatchewan) wouldn’t be a signatory if there is a forthcoming MOU or anything of that nature,” Moe told host Mike Le Couteur. “Largely, we don’t have any significant amount of energy in that particular pipe. However, the indirect benefits to Saskatchewan, and I would say more broadly, to Canadians, are tremendous.”

Moe also said he was “disappointed” in Eby’s comments about him.

“I’m really disappointed that an NDP premier would start thinking that this conversation is either or. It’s either his projects or someone else’s, and always advocating that it should be his,” Moe said.

“If we truly want to move forward as Canadians, not only claim to be on Team Canada, but actually be on Team Canada, we need to be supportive of every project in every industry in every province across this nation,” Moe added, saying he also supports proposed LNG projects in B.C.

With files from CTV News’ Chief Political Correspondent Vassy Kapelos and CTV News Senior Political Correspondent Mike Le Couteur