MEDICINE HAT, AB: British Columbians can expect to continue to pay soaring prices for gasoline if Premier John Horgan’s NDP government continues to obstruct pipeline construction according to United Conservative Leader Jason Kenney.

While visiting candidates Drew Barnes (Cypress-Medicine Hat) and Michaela Glasgo (Brooks-Medicine Hat), Kenney renewed his vow to use legislation to scale back exports of Alberta crude to BC-based refineries if that province’s NDP government continues to obstruct the Trans Mountain Pipeline Expansion.

BC Premier John Horgan was assured by his fellow New Democrat Rachel Notley that she would not turn off the taps (see Backgrounder).

“In recent days, lower mainland BC has been paying through the nose for gasoline,” Kenney said. “Unless John Horgan ends his unconstitutional fight against Alberta energy exports, the people of BC will need to get used to paying well over $1.70/L for gas as the result of NDP anti-pipeline obstructionism.”

BC’s NDP government is still working to stop the Trans Mountain expansion, fighting in the BC Court of Appeal just last month. Alberta’s NDP government finally caved to United Conservative pressure to pass ‘Turn of the Taps’ legislation, but failed to proclaim it, let alone ever use it.

Next Tuesday will mark one year since the NDP took UCP advice and introduced Bill 12. Since then, precisely 0 kilometres of the Trans Mountain expansion has been built and the private sector abandoned the project entirely.

Kenney announced today that a United Conservative government would proclaim Bill 12, the ‘Turn off the Taps’ law, on its first day in office.

“Albertans see through the NDP’s phony fight for pipelines,” Kenney said. “Voters remember the NDP’s historic opposition to our energy industry, including their campaign against the Northern Gateway and Keystone XL pipelines, the appointment of anti-pipeline radicals like Tzeoporah Berman, Ed Whittingham, their Cabinet Ministers protesting pipelines, and so much more. Albertans want real action to defend our jobs and way of life, not more bad political theatre from the NDP that has done so much damage to our energy industry.”

“That is why on day one of a UCP government, we will proclaim into law the Turn off the Taps legislation, and let Premier Horgan know that we will not roll over in the face of his governments unconstitutional efforts to block our energy,” Kenney announced.

Rachel Notley’s NDP government repeatedly dismissed the threat posed to the Trans Mountain expansion by the Horgan NDP in British Columbia. Despite the BC NDP openly campaigning against Trans Mountain, Rachel Notley dismissed their threat after they came to office, saying, “The BC government has stopped talking about stopping the pipeline and instead, they’re talking about ensuring that it meets high standards.”

Since 2017, Jason Kenney had been calling for the Government of Alberta to turn off the taps to BC if their anti-pipeline activism didn’t halt. Rachel Notley mocked and dismissed the suggestion repeatedly (see Backgrounder).

Alberta’s NDP government, all talk and no action on pipelines, never actually used Bill 12.

In recent days, gasoline prices have skyrocketed in Vancouver, reaching an all-time high of $1.67L on Thursday.