The Vancouver Sun reports in its Wednesday edition federal government believes British Columbia "could change its mind" on Enbridge's Northern Gateway pipeline project and is working to ensure the province's five conditions of approval are met.
Postmedia's Yadullah Hussain quotes Joe Oliver, the federal Minister of Natural Resources, as saying: "I have spoken to Rich Coleman [B.C.'s new Minister of Natural Gas] and listened to what was said. What they basically did was reiterate the five conditions. In the context of the way the project would be constructed, they believe it does not meet their criteria. However, they have left open the possibility if it does meet their standards, they could change their mind."
British Columbia officially opposed the Northern Gateway pipeline at the end of May in a submission to the Northern Gateway Joint Review Panel. An internal government audit report gave a scathing review of the Canadian Coast Guard's capacity to monitor and manage marine oil spills.
The minister says the government is conscious of the set of short, medium and long-term challenges facing the industry.
In "the intermediate term, we are running out of pipeline capacity in Canada," Mr. Oliver says.
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