Conservative pipeline motion quoting Alberta-Ottawa MOU fails in House of Commons

Political theatre gripped the House of Commons on Tuesday, with the Liberal government and Tory opposition grappling over the Alberta-Ottawa MOU.

Conservative MPs were hopeful cracks would start to show within the Liberal caucus on Tuesday, putting forth a non-binding motion that directly quoted parts of the recent agreement between Ottawa and Alberta, but it was voted down.

Liberal, NDP, Green and Bloc members all voted against the Conservative motion, aimed at pinning down the Liberals on whether they support building a pipeline to the British Columbia coast, 196-139.

“This is a parliamentary stunt,” said Duane Bratt, a political scientist at Mount Royal University.

“The public argument is not, ‘Oh, we’re trying to split the Liberal Party’; it’s because, ‘We want the Liberals to officially go on the record that they support this (memorandum of understanding).’ Well, the prime minister already signed it.”

The motion, put forward by Tory Leader Pierre Poilievre, said MPs support construction of a pipeline to carry Alberta bitumen to the coast, along with an “appropriate amendment” to the legislation that bans most oil tankers from the area off the northern coast of British Columbia.

It was a more pointed version of the MOU signed by Alberta Premier Danielle Smith and Prime Minister Mark Carney last month.

The Liberals planned to vote down the motion because it was missing several key features from the MOU, such as engaging with B.C., First Nations ownership of a pipeline and the industrial carbon tax.

Poilievre even amended the motion to include references from the MOU, such as private funding, Indigenous equity, engagement with British Columbia and greenlighting the Pathways project.

However, it failed to add anything on the industrial carbon price increasing.

“Not only do we acknowledge the obligation to consult with our First Peoples, we put that right in the motion. It’s right there,” said Poilievre during Question Period.

Poilievre directly attacked Liberal Calgary MP Corey Hogan for voting down the motion.

“This is game-playing, right?” said Hogan to Alberta Prime Time.

“They’ve created a motion where voting yes makes a pipeline less likely, and voting no makes a pipeline less likely. So, I really wonder how much Pierre Poilievre wants a pipeline.”

Even Smith acknowledged the “politics” at play with the vote.

“The prime minister and I remain committed to implementing the terms of the MOU. We’ve got a bit of work to do,” she told Edmonton’s business community on Tuesday.

“I wouldn’t take whatever outcome there is as any indication other than some politics that are happening.”

Coastal First Nations have been deeply opposed to a pipeline project to B.C.’s north coast, saying it will impact waters if the oil tanker ban is modified or removed.

“Today, we are calling on all the MPs to stand with the Coastal First Nations to uphold the Oil Tanker Moratorium Act and protect our coast, our coastal economy, our way of life from the catastrophic risks of an oil spill,” said Gaagwiis Jason Alsop, president of the Haida Nation.

However, not all First Nations are against resource development.

“We are in a crisis right now. Sixty per cent of our people are on social welfare. We shouldn’t be sitting in helicopters with kid celebrities thinking that’s the kind of thing we should be doing,” said Dale Swampy, president of the National Coalition of Chiefs.

“No, we’ve got to get our people to work. And this is the only way to do it—to co-operate with industry. And industry wants to work with us now more than ever.”

Swampy says some First Nations communities along the northern pipeline route do want to be part of a new project.

“It’s going to be a long-term benefit for First Nation communities. It’s going to be 30-year agreements. It’s going to be ownership. It’s going to be seats on the board of the pipeline. It’s going to be monitoring,” said Swampy.

Alberta has until July 1 to meet the application deadline to make a new pipeline project a reality.

With files by The Canadian Press