NewsAlert: Trudeau promising money, legislation to make Trans Mountain happen

OTTAWA — Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says has instructed his finance minister to enter negotiations with Kinder Morgan to “remove the uncertainty” hanging over the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion project.

Trudeau also says federal legislation is coming that will “reassert and reinforce” the fact that the federal government is well within its jurisdiction to approve the project and ensure it goes ahead.

He’s offering few details, however, saying the negotiations will not take place in public.

Trudeau is making the comments following a closely watched, last-minute meeting with B.C. Premier John Horgan, who is blocking Trans Mountain, and Alberta Premier Rachel Notley, who desperately wants to see it go ahead.

While Notley says she’s confident the federal commitments will see the expansion go ahead, Horgan, says Sunday’s meeting did nothing to end his ongoing efforts to block the project.

Privy Council Clerk Michael Wernick, Finance Minister Bill Morneau and Natural Resources Minister Jim Carr also took part in the meeting.

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