Braid: Another high-seas shakedown from B.C.’s Christy Clark – Calgary Herald

Late in her B.C. re-election campaign, Christy Clark is acting more like a pirate than a premier.

She stands in the bow of the coastal ship, cutlass in hand, extracting booty from any Alberta treasurethat entersthose waters.

Clarks Liberal crew stalled and squeezedthe Kinder Morgan pipeline for years. She got $1 billion out of it for B.C., along with many other concessions.

Despite that piratical precedent, nobody expected her sneak attack on thermal coal. Clark says that if Ottawa doesnt ban exports from B.C. ports, she will use provincial law to impose a $70 per tonne carbon price.

This isaimed at U.S. shipments, she says, as retaliation for new import duties on softwood lumber. If her promise wins votes from coastal climate advocates, so much the better.

But the impact on Alberta would be severe up to 2,000 jobs gone, by one estimate, and nearly $300 million a year in lost revenue, because the coal would simply be too expensive to ship to Asia.

And the pain for B.C.? Virtually zero, because that province does not produce thermal coal. Such a coincidence.

Clarks dangerous pattern is to block interprovincial trade and access to tidewater when its convenient for her.

Her latest stunt is not just unconstitutional, but a violation of the New West Partnership trade pact signed by B.C., Alberta and Saskatchewan.

The firstrule of that deal is: Each Party shall ensure that its measures do not operate to restrict or impair trade between, among or through the territory of the Parties

Clark doesnt appear to care about such little things. The lumber duties hurt Alberta workers and companies as much as B.C.s, but her response brings a further attack on Alberta.

Clark infuriates Premier Rachel Notleys New Democrats, now more than ever.

But Notley swallowed hard and ordered her staffers not to campaign for John Horgans B.C. NDP, because he opposes the pipeline. Clarks Liberals with an eye on that $1 billion at least dont stand in the way.

Notley is now forced to defend thermal coal, hardly her favourite energy product, while pointing out the essential goofiness of Clarks action.

Quite frankly, its not good for Alberta, Notley said. But I also dont know that this will get very far because Im not convinced that the ability actually exists within the provincial government.

Technically, shes right. Clark proposes to tax a product thats neither produced nor consumed in her province. By that standard, Alberta could tax B.C. wine on the way to Toronto, or natural gas crossing the province by pipeline.

The whole idea looks laughable. Clark simply doesnt have the authority.

But thats what Albertans said in 2012 when she marched into Calgary with a list of conditions, including money, for the Kinder Morgan pipeline. Shemade that work by exploiting environmental activism and federal inaction.

Now she offers the coal tax as a detailed campaign promise. If the Liberals win, she has to go through with it.

The B.C. election is complex and very close, with the Liberals and NDP nearly tied, and the Greens running a strong third.

Even Alberta PC Leader Jason Kenney has been caught up. At a dinner in B.C. recently, he urged people to support Clark.

Notley needled him for that on Wednesday when she talked about the coal tax.

People who support that idea or support people proposing that idea ought to think about where their loyalties lie because, quite frankly, its not good for Alberta, she said.

Calgary-Shaw MLA Graham Sucha added: Why is Jason Kenney campaigning in B.C., when he should be in Alberta fighting for jobs?

Kenney says he was asked to give a speech where he did endorseClarks Liberals. And hes not apologizing now.

I dont agree with a tax on an export like this coal tax at all, but theres still no question the B.C. Liberals would be far better for Albertas economy than the NDP ever would, he said.

Many politicians just want this B.C. election over with. Especially the Albertans.

Don Braids column appears regularly in the Herald

dbraid@postmedia.com

Twitter/DonBraid

Read the rest here:

Braid: Another high-seas shakedown from B.C.'s Christy Clark - Calgary Herald