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The Minnesota Public Utilities Commission ruled Enbridge’s proposed Line 3 replacement had met all legal requirements to proceed, echoing the Nebraska Supreme Court’s approval last fall of Keystone XL pipeline’s route through that state, ending a decade-long permitting battle.

In was only February but for Alberta and Saskatchewan, it looked like spring had come early. But of course it hadn’t.

First came news the budget for TMX had soared from its original $7.4 billion to $12.6 billion, mainly because of delays, litigation and additional security costs. Announced in 2012, TMX was supposed to have been operational by the end of 2017. But it ran into non-stop legal challenges — 17 and counting — from climate and Aboriginal groups. As opponents have become more militant, security costs have soared from $20 million to $200 million. When the Trudeau government bought TMX from Kinder Morgan, it promised to sell the pipeline once it was completed. The government bought it for $4.5 billion. Will there really be buyers at $12.6 billion dollars? Or will Canadian taxpayers take a fearsome haircut?

This 70 per cent cost over-run confirms to TMX’s opponents that their death-by-delay “lawfare” is working. Even worse, it confirms to international investors that Canadian energy projects have become risky business.

Then came the media leak that the Liberal cabinet may not approve the Teck Frontier oilsands mine in Alberta despite a joint federal-provincial review panel having found it was “in the public interest.” The Teck mine decision, due by the end of the month, quickly took on a symbolic importance much greater than the mine itself. The Saskatchewan and Alberta governments are warning that a “No” will send a clear message that Canada is closed for energy business and will deepen the unemployment, investment and revenue crises for both provinces.