DELTA South MLA and BC Liberal Agriculture Critic Ian Paton said on Tuesday that it is time for Premier John Horgan to stop his trade spat with Alberta.
“This is has gotten absurd. You now have two NDP governments fighting a trade war over a project that has received approval from the federal government, who has the final say in this,” said Paton. “As the Premier looks to delay and defer decisions, his inability to stand up to pressure from his junior Green partners is now threatening agricultural jobs across B.C. He needs to stop playing games – these are people’s livelihoods.”
Paton was responding to the news that Alberta Premier Rachel Notley says her province will stop importing wine from British Columbia, after the BC NDP continue to throw up more roadblocks to prevent the Trans Mountain Pipeline. The Trudeau government has given the green-light to the project and has said it will proceed.
Paton also noted the B.C. wine industry’s $2.8 billion economic impact is a significant driver of the province’s economy and more than 12,000 people in every region of the province have jobs related to the industry.
“I get it, the BC NDP are trying to throw a bone to the Greens after the Premier reluctantly approved Site C,” said Paton. “Unfortunately, this trade spat is simply a lose-lose for everyone. We have agricultural workers who are going to lose jobs and Albertans who are going to lose out on our premium wine. British Columbians shouldn’t be in the crossfire of NDP governments fighting.”