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“He needs to see this action for what it is, that is B.C. taking a shot across the federal bow, not Alberta,” Notley said. “On this particular matter, they need to speak to it directly and make it very clear the B.C. government does not have the authority.”

Blunt action isn’t something Justin Trudeau is known for. Hugs and earnest assurances are more his style. Nonetheless, in Edmonton on Thursday he assured a town hall gathering his government would stand by its support for the pipeline.

“We were assured, we did the science, we did the research that the Kinder Morgan pipeline is not a danger to the B.C. coast … We will ensure the Kinder Morgan pipeline gets built.”

He repeated the pledge Friday at a second town hall in Nanaimo, where two women were hauled from the room after repeatedly heckling him.

“It is in the national interest to move forward with the Kinder Morgan pipeline and we will be moving forward with the Kinder Morgan pipeline,” he insisted.

Those are the words Notley wants to hear, but Albertans are well aware the Liberals have fallen short on any number of promises since gaining office, and fear the pipeline may be next. That could trigger any number of repercussions: Notley could soon be out of a job, the NDP out of office and Horgan facing the harder-edged Kenney. Alberta could invoke retaliatory measures aimed to impose at least as much pain on B.C. as Alberta suffers, and maybe more. Everything shipped across Canada from B.C. has to pass through Alberta, after all. And Trudeau could find himself replicating a feat managed by his father when his National Energy Program alienated entire generations of people across much of the west.

Horgan needs to think beyond his need for the Greens. Canada is bigger than that. If he can’t comprehend Alberta’s reaction, someone needs to explain it to him. Preferably before he has time to make things worse.