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To say the Liberals need a win is like saying Justin Trudeau is overexposed — stating the bloody obvious.

But aside from keeping the prime minister out of the camera’s eye over the summer months, where is that popularity bump going to come from?

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tap here to see other videos from our team. Try refreshing your browser, or John Ivison: With approval looming and a private-sector sale likely, Trans Mountain may yet be a Liberal electoral asset Back to video

One view is to attempt to make a virtue of something that some Liberals view as an electoral liability: the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion.

A senior government official, speaking on condition of anonymity, suggested the best option would be to sell the pipeline at a profit before the next election.

There is interest — government and private sector sources say as many as nine groups have been kicking the tires. Most are oilsands operators or pipeline companies who have teamed up with Indigenous partners. One group includes a Chinese company, and is unlikely to be allowed to bid.

Pierre-Olivier Herbert, a spokesman for finance minister Bill Morneau said the government’s focus is on following the guidance of the Federal Court of Appeal on environmental reviews and the need for improved consultation with Indigenous groups. (The pipeline expansion was approved by the cabinet but then blocked by a Federal Court of Appeal decision last summer that said neither the environmental review nor Indigenous consultations had been properly completed.)