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B.C. Premier John Horgan says ‘there’s nothing to take to court’ on Kinder Morgan

Click to play video: 'B.C. premier battles with Alberta over pipelines'
B.C. premier battles with Alberta over pipelines
The war of words continues today as B.C. and Alberta battle over the Kinder Morgan pipeline expansion. Now Premier has up the ante suspending electricity purchase talks with B.C. Ted Chernecki has more – Feb 1, 2018

B.C. Premier John Horgan says he doesn’t understand why the Alberta government is threatening to sue British Columbia. Speaking for the first time since his government announced potential restrictions on the flow of bitumen from Alberta to B.C.’s coast, Horgan says he isn’t concerned about facing his neighbour to the east in court.

WATCH: ‘Sabre-rattling doesn’t get you very far’: Horgan responds to Notley

Click to play video: '‘Sabre-rattling doesn’t get you very far’: Horgan responds to Notley'
‘Sabre-rattling doesn’t get you very far’: Horgan responds to Notley

“There is nothing to take to court, we are consulting with the people of British Columbia,” said Horgan at a press conference in the Okanagan. “I think it is way too premature to talk about these sort of issues when we are just putting together a paper to put before the people we represent.”

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Horgan says he spoke to Alberta premier Rachel Notley over the phone yesterday. Notley told reporters that British Columbia is not legally allowed to restrict the flow of oil, which would likely derail the proposed Kinder Morgan pipeline twinning.

The B.C. government insists no new regulations are in place yet and there is public consultation under way that follows guidelines set out in the Environmental Management Act. The consultation is expected to take months.

“We believe we have every right to protect our marine environment and economy,” said Horgan. “It is our obligation to make sure that if any economy activity is going to take place it is important for the government of British Columbia to protect the public interest. We are consulting widely and we haven’t put anything in place yet. I am surprised by the response we are getting from Alberta.”

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Notley spoke to the media in Edmonton for the third day in a row on Thursday about the pipeline restrictions. She says her government is immediately going to cut off any discussions with B.C. about an electricity inter-tie.

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“I would say suspending talks on a project that had the potential to deliver up to half a billion dollars a year to B.C. Hydro is not ‘not tough,” said Notley.

Notley added the inter-tie does not have to do with the still to be completed Site C Dam.

Political scientist David Moscrop said there’s no doubt the Prime Minister will have to get involved in the dispute between B.C. and Alberta.

“I think at some point there’s going to be a very serious sit-down to try to mediate it, but I think there’s no choice but to continue to oppose it and the Alberta government has no choice but to continue to press for it.”

Moscrop added, “[Trudeau] explicitly said, and I think quite fairly, ‘look I’ve got to govern for the entire country, and sometimes that means I’m going to do something that one province or another isn’t going to like.'”

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will be in Nanaimo on Friday as part of his cross country town hall tour. The federal Liberal government approved the pipeline twinning.

When speaking to Kelsey Campbell of 630CHED in Edmonton on Thursday morning, he vowed to see the project through to completion.

WATCH: ‘We’re protecting the public interests in British Columbia’: Horgan on federal concerns

Click to play video: '‘We’re protecting the public interests in British Columbia’: Horgan on federal concerns'
‘We’re protecting the public interests in British Columbia’: Horgan on federal concerns

“It is important to understand the provinces have differences of opinions and different approaches all the time and one of the reasons we have a national government is to step up for the interest of all Canadians and that is exactly what we are going to do,” said Trudeau. “We were assured, we did the science, we did the research that the Kinder Morgan pipeline is not a danger to the B.C. coast.”

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“We will ensure the Kinder Morgan pipeline gets built.”

WATCH: ‘I’m surprised at the response we’re getting from Alberta’: Horgan on Trans Mountain pipeline

Click to play video: '‘I’m surprised at the response we’re getting from Alberta’: Horgan on Trans Mountain pipeline'
‘I’m surprised at the response we’re getting from Alberta’: Horgan on Trans Mountain pipeline

With files from Global News Radio reporter Jeremy Lye

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