BC and Alberta trade dispute giving British Columbians a hangover

Kinder Morgan Canada’s President says the federal government needs to step up and take action in the deepening trade war between Alberta and B.C. surrounding his company’s Trans Mountain pipeline expansion project.

It’s not exactly prime wine tourism season in B.C.

“I’m hearing from Albertans everywhere I go is that we have to send a clear message to BC to make our point”.

We get the message, Jim.

Notley expects to update Albertans on a possible legal challenge “pretty quickly”, notwithstanding the fact B.C. has only threatened a new policy, and not implemented it. You really have to be a good size to have an agency looking after your wine in Alberta.

“The big guys could handle the downturn way better than the small guys”.

By Thursday, there were already some empty spaces where B.C. wines should be on the shelves of Vintage Wine & Spirits in Grande Prairie. The province also accounts for 11 per cent of the BC VQA market. “The Alberta Gaming and Liquor Control Board will put an immediate halt to the import of B.C. wine into Alberta”.

A protester who chained herself to equipment at a Kinder Morgan worksite in Coquitlam, B.C. Thursday is facing potential charges.

“The Government of British Columbia is free to consult”.

The escalating tension has forced Trudeau to take a firm approach to getting the pipeline built and helping Alberta recover from a deep dive in energy prices, without losing crucial British Columbia political support.

Notley’s trip to BC was an image rehab trip for her, not a pipeline sales pitch for the people of Alberta.

Tensions around the development of the controversial $7.4-billion pipeline project were heightened last week when the B.C. government announced plans for more consultations on oil spill readiness and a limit on increased diluted bitumen shipments until it’s confident in response measures.

Nanaimo’s Matt and Natalie Riga operate Chateau Wolff Estate, a five acre family-run winery and vineyard set against the backdrop of Mount Benson.

For the energy industry, clarity can’t come soon enough.

“I don’t know how much it will affect us”, he said.

“I think it’s going to affect related sectors, such as hospitality, bed and breakfasts, transportation, restaurants – many things that are associated with wine”, he said.

Even Okanagan-Similkameen-Nicola MP Dan Albas weighed in, releasing a Facebook video late Tuesday calling the moves by both Notley and B.C. Premier John Horgan “sabre-rattling electoral games”.

Maurice Hamilton, owner of Pacific Breeze Winery in New Westminster, told the NOW three quarters of the wine industry is made up of small businesses.

British Columbia wine is very popular in Alberta there are about 1,460 B.C. wine products registered with the AGLC. Stop listening to the oil and gas lobbyists and listen to British Columbians and many other Canadians. “Boycotts. will not resolve an issue that is ultimately our federal government’s responsibility”, the chamber said.

“So this sort of ban is not going to affect us – other than the individual inclination of the Albertan who says, ‘Oh, I’m not going to buy any B.C. wine'”.