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“I think everyone can agree, regardless of their political stripes, that the federal government investing tax dollars in an energy project is not the optimal solution,” said the Regina Qu’Appelle MP, who was elected Conservative leader in an extremely close race last year.

However, Scheer did not categorically rule out backing government investment in the pipeline, given that Kinder Morgan could walk away from the project at the end of the month.

“We’ll wait and see,” he said.

Alexandre Deslongchamps, press secretary to Liberal Natural Resources Minister Jim Carr, said in an email that financial discussions between Finance Minister Bill Morneau and Kinder Morgan are underway, “the result of which will be to remove uncertainty overhanging the project.”

“Our government continues to assess appropriate legislative options,” he added.

But Scheer chastised the Liberal government for only now looking at legislation that would “entrench and defend the relevant sections of the Constitution.”

He laid the turmoil around Trans Mountain at Justin Trudeau’s feet, blaming the prime minister for undermining confidence in Canada’s energy regulatory system in opposition, rejecting the proposed Northern Gateway pipeline project after taking office and crafting policy that helped lead to the demise of the Energy East line.

However, in his question and answer session with chamber of commerce president Sandip Lalli, Scheer declined to go after Rachel Notley’s NDP government over its handling of the pipeline fight.