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Yup. Alberta’s plan is better than B.C.’s. But is that getting any airtime or acknowledgement in B.C.?

No. And if Horgan was truly a leader, who understands that he is a Canadian before a British Columbian, he would make the case to his constituents that Alberta isn’t rogue – and that in addition to the carbon price, it has instituted a cap on emissions from the oilsands. This is about responsible and sustainable energy development that benefits the entire country; with the help of the $1.5-billion ocean protection plan being put in place by the federal government, the risks voiced by B.C. are being addressed.

Alberta gets it. It gets the big picture.

Notley understands the Canada-before-Alberta calculus; it is a statement former premier Peter Lougheed often used as a preface to his speeches – including the last public speech that he gave: “I am a Canadian before an Albertan,” he said at an evening where he was honoured by the Public Policy Forum in 2012 in Calgary.

But Notley can’t move mountains on her own. Which is why she has struck her task force.

And with people like McKenna and McLellan on board – who continue to have much influence within Liberal circles — it’s going to be tough for Trudeau to step back from doing what he needs to do, which is spend political capital in B.C. to make sure TMX gets built.

This is, after all, a project that falls under federal jurisdiction. Trudeau needs to be mindful that if he doesn’t stand up and do what is necessary for TMX to proceed, he will lose it. He will be seen to have acquiesced to a minority government in B.C. and didn’t stand up for the country. Notley has made her move. By choosing long-standing Liberals with a huge amount of credibility, she is playing hardball. It’s time for Trudeau to respond.