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Premier John Horgan expressed surprise Thursday at the blowback his government is getting by proposing new regulations aimed at limiting oilsands bitumen shipments through British Columbia.

“We’ve not put in place anything at this time,” Horgan told reporters.

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“We’re going to put in place a scientific panel to look at the potential consequences of a catastrophic (bitumen) spill. I don’t think that’s unreasonable and I’m surprised at the response we’re getting from Alberta.”

Horgan made the remarks as Prime Minister Trudeau stepped in to turn up the heat on pipeline politics and Alberta Premier Rachel Notley began to take action on her threat of a legal challenge and possible trade retaliation if B.C. goes ahead with the regulations.

“Sabre rattling doesn’t get you very far,” was Horgan’s response to the suggestion of trade retaliation.

While Kinder Morgan wasn’t directly mentioned in B.C.’s proposed measure, it was viewed as a direct challenge to the company’s $7.4-billion Trans Mountain pipeline expansion project aimed at more than doubling its capacity to transport Alberta oil to the coast.