The minority B.C. NDP government, which has been propped up by three Green party members, has given approval to a large natural gas facility at Kitimat that will ship its natural resources overseas to China.
This, after shutting off the valve to the Trans Mountain expansion, pitting Albertans against British Columbians, and not allowing that province to do the same.
What is the difference between the LNG natural gas project and the Trans Mountain pipeline twinning?
Why is one a big victory, while the other is dividing the country and costing us a fortune?
There are some answers
- One is carrying heavy Alberta oil to market, the other, natural gas
- One has the approval of the majority of the Indigenous population, the other does not.
- And a big difference: the LNG is privately funded with a consortium of partners including government, while the Trans Mountain pipeline the government fully owns after Kinder Morgan bailed due to lack of certainty from government.
Yes, perhaps tree hugging west coasters will feel a little less guilty shipping natural gas, instead of heavy oil, to coal-dependent China.
How they can swallow that, knowing they are also home to the largest coal port in North America, seems highly hypocritical.
However, a bigger question remains.
How can we can permit a facility and pipeline we don’t own to be built, but we can’t twin the pipeline we do own?
Mr. Trudeau?
WATCH: Reality check: Environmental impact of BC’s LNG project
Scott Thompson is the host of The Scott Thompson Show on Global News Radio 900 CHML.