Justin Trudeau defends Trans Mountain takeover as vital economic move
(The Star Toronto Raptors)

OTTAWA—Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was on the defensive Wednesday, touting his government’s $4.5 billion takeover of the Trans Mountain pipeline project as a vital economic move, even as opposition MPs condemned it as a costly folly.Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer went after the government for making the big investment with no assurance that the promised pipeline expansion to help move Alberta bitumen oil to the west coast will actually go ahead.“He is writing a cheque for $4.5 billion for an existing pipeline. Not a single centimetre of new pipeline will be built with this bill to the taxpayer,� Scheer said in question period.But Trudeau said the move will mean higher prices for oil exports and secure jobs in the resource sector, while dodging questions about what it may ultimately cost Canadians.“We are proud to make sure that we are supporting the growth in the economy, the good jobs for Albertans and all Canadians while we protect the environment,� he said.The Liberal government announced Tuesday that it would buy the assets associated with the Trans Mountain pipeline project from U.S.-based Kinder Morgan. Long adamant that the pipeline expansion would go ahead, the government had its hand forced after the American energy giant backed away in the face of ardent opposition in B.C.The Liberal government is hoping to entice another company to take over the project but if not, cabinet ministers have said they will move ahead with the pipeline expansion at a cost likely to top $7 billion, all at taxpayers’ expense.Senior cabinet ministers travelled to western Canada Wednesday to highlight the government strategy, with Finance Minister Bill Morneau in Calgary and Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale speaking in Fort McMurray as Trudeau served as point man in Ottawa.The Conservatives accused Trudeau of a double standard for not showing the same concern when TransCanada Corp. halted work last October on the Energy East p ...