British Columbia is a key player in pipeline politics, so what does this mean for David Eby and his province?
Key points:
- Despite opposing the removal of the tanker ban, the Eby government is aggressively pursuing large-scale resource development, including LNG and critical minerals, coupled with regulatory reforms.
- The strength and size of the BC federal Liberal caucus, and the shifting coalition of voters available to David Eby means that pipeline politics in BC are taking place now in a different political landscape than in previous years.
- Coastal First Nations remain opposed to any lifting of the tanker ban, but their opposition is offset and balanced by ownership stakes and considerations for other resource development projects.
With the announcement that Alberta and the Federal government have agreed on a memorandum of understanding (MOU), pipelines have truly re-emerged as an axis of conflict in Canadian federalism.
It’s useful to look behind the headlines to understand what’s different this time, and what has stayed the same.
