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“We will not stand on the sidelines in the battle for the hearts and minds of Canadians,” she told reporters.

Notley has repeatedly said she would do whatever it takes to get the pipeline to tidewater built, including buying the project outright.

Ottawa has also vowed the project will go ahead, with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau instructing Finance Minister Bill Morneau to sit down with Kinder Morgan and come up with financial solutions.

B.C. Premier John Horgan reiterated he would use every tool at his disposable to block the pipeline, citing the need to protect coast line from potential oil spills.

Photo by Larry Wong / Postmedia

Bill 12 sunset clause

Legislators amended the NDP’s pillar piece of legislation that gives the energy minister final say over crude oil, natural gas and refined fuels being shipped out of Alberta.

An Alberta Party amendment that passed Wednesday will restrict those powers to two years. The legislation is currently in third reading.

“If it becomes necessary to use the power that Bill 12 gives us — the power to strategically deploy our resources — we will,” Notley said Thursday.

She also stressed Alberta will seek full status in the B.C. reference case announced by Premier John Horgan. He wants the B.C. Court of Appeal to rule on whether the province has the authority to regulate the flow of oil through Trans Mountain.

“If British Columbia retains the right to throttle our resources, every other province will be given the same right,” she said.