Albertans find common cause

Even in the often-unfathomable world of Canadian politics, this one ranked as an unlikely event in an unlikely location.

A fundraiser for the embattled British Columbia government of Premier Christy Clark was held in “enemy” territory — Calgary.

At a time when Clark is dug in against Alberta Premier Alison Redford over Enbridge’s plan to run its Northern Gateway oil sands pipeline across British Columbia, some of Alberta’s energy and political powerbrokers have found reasons to support Clark.

In return for those paying C$125 per person, the organizers offered the chance for them to hold “frank” discussions and “mingle” with two British Columbia cabinet ministers, Rich Coleman (energy, mines and natural gas) and Bill Bennett (community, sport and cultural development).

More than 100 took the chance, figuring that however bad feelings are between Clark and Redford they will likely get worse if British Columbia on May 14 elects a New Democratic Party under Adrian Dix, who is even less inclined to support bitumen pipelines to the Pacific Coast.

Dix has also indicated he will raise corporate taxes and eliminate British Columbia’s balanced-budget legislation.

Organizers of the private reception in Calgary included Murray Edwards, chairman of Canadian Natural Resources Ltd., and Rod Love, a political strategist and chief of staff to former Alberta premier Ralph Klein.

The promotional materials said an NDP government in B.C. “poses a number of different risks for Albertans. The possibility of pipelines being delayed or cancelled altogether is a huge risk for the energy sector.”

The ultimate warnings said an NDP administration would be “fundamentally anti-free enterprise.”

—Gary Park