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B.C. Premier John Horgan had the nation’s attention. He had the microphone. He had righteous anger at Alberta’s wine ban written all over his face.

But he did not retaliate.

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Horgan not only said Wednesday he will not impose countermeasures now, but pretty much promised not to act in the future, no matter what further trade troubles Premier Rachel Notley has in store for B.C.

Would he bite back if there’s a beer ban (which Notley has actually suggested), or some other action? Apparently not.

Horgan has the air of a guy trying to escape a disaster. He appears to want a settlement. At one point in his news conference, he said meetings are going on and he would like a resolution.

Those meetings aren’t about the wine ban. They’re about the cross-border crisis B.C. provoked last week.

Horgan was in Asia on a trade mission when his environment minister, George Heyman, announced the proposal to further study bitumen spills.