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It’s too early for a pipeline victory dance in the streets, even if you are so inclined.

The Trans Mountain project took a step back into reality Friday with the National Energy Board approval that everyone expected.

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But it’s still a cancelled pipeline after the disastrous Federal Court of Appeal decision of last Aug 30.

Trans Mountain will be legally extinct until the Trudeau cabinet re-approves it, ostensibly within the 90-day guideline for these decisions.

It’s absurd to imagine the cabinet failing to grant a new certificate, after spending $4.5 billion to buy the whole works from Kinder Morgan.

Cabinet rejection would combine with the SNC-Lavalin fiasco and likely drive the Liberals from office in the federal election this fall. No government can survive two spectacular regional fiascos in the same year.

Approval has to come at some point, obviously.

But Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his wounded cabinet have a very tricky choice here, and it’s all about election timing.