MP McLeod: government putting all their eggs in one basket with Trans Mountain purchase

May 29, 2018 | 10:38 AM

KAMLOOPS — While Cathy McLeod says “it’s critical we have a pipeline that gets to tidewater,” she cautions the federal government has “put all its eggs in one basket” with its decision Tuesday to spend $4.5 billion to buy Trans Mountain and all of Kinder Morgan Canada’s core assets.

“When Eagle Spirit was shut down, when Energy North was shut down and even Energy East with their different policies, they came to a point where what should have been done and would have been done by the private sector is now going to be done with taxpayers’ risk,” says the Kamloops-Thompson-Cariboo Conservative MP.

McLeod says she doesn’t how the purchase makes it any more likely the pipeline project will go foward.

“Frankly, I don’t see how there’s greater assurances other than the fact that the taxpayers are now on the hook and will be obligated. So, I guess the Kinder Morgan shareholders weren’t willing to take the risk but the Canadian government has determined that taxpayers are willing to take the risk.”