Notley threat to cut off oil to others not a new tactic for Alberta
CALGARY — Alberta Premier Rachel Notley’s threat to reduce oil shipments to other provinces, the latest salvo in a recent pipeline dispute with British Columbia, carries on a provincial tradition of using its natural resources to reinforce its political positions.
The energy-rich province has used its oil and gas exports as leverage at least three times in the past to win arguments with other levels of government, oilpatch historian and author David Finch said Friday.
“Because the … premier represents the people of Alberta as owners of the natural resource, there’s always more at stake on these issues and the Alberta perspective is always different than the Ottawa perspective,” he said.
Notley on Thursday said she would, if pushed, replicate the actions of former premier Peter Lougheed who in 1980-81 reduced oil flows over several months and cancelled two oilsands developments after the federal Liberals brought in the national energy program with its price controls, new taxes and revenue sharing.