Thursday November 27, 2025 | VICTORIA, BC [Posted at 3:37 pm PT]
by Mary P Brooke | Island Social Trends
BC Premier David Eby was calm today in responding to the high-profile news of a pipeline memorandum of understanding (MOU) being signed by the Prime Minister and the Premier of Alberta.
In recent weeks Eby was fuming about now having been at the table to contribute ideas that may have moved a real project along.
But perhaps best not, as he today said — and Energy and Climate Solution Minister Adrian Dix said this week — that there is no project, no proponent. Perhaps, ultimately, not contributing has put BC at the ultimate advantage. In this way, BC cannot be complicit in a possible blow-out of the MOU’s intentions, i.e. it may go nowhere.
Eby pointed to this in his remarks to media today outside the BC Legislative Building in cool weather — he is calling for focus on projects that already have proponents, funding, and collaboration with Indigenous partners.
BC has four of the 11 national major projects that the Prime Minister has announced this fall (on September 11 and November 14). These projects are well-developed in terms of proponents, funding, and infrastructure such as roads and electrification as well as having participation and/or or social licence from local First Nations.
Just one request:
Eby now has just one request — that Carney and Smith sit down with coastal First Nations to determine their involvement going forward.
In saying that, it sounds like BC does not want to be at the table — considering the project a “distraction”, though the MOU is open to BC being consulted.
===== RELATED:
- Carney and Smith sign pipeline MOU to facilitate economic growth (November 27, 2025)
- Premier Eby on the growing prospect of a northwest pipeline (November 24, 2025)
- Economy overrides politics in preliminary exclusion of BC Premier from northwest pipeline talks (November 21, 2025)
- Canada’s premiers got economic transformation update ahead of Liberal Budget vote (November 19, 2025)
- Eby pleased with more national major projects in BC (November 14, 2025)
- Carney’s second set of nation-building major projects (November 14, 2025)
- Carney announces five major projects to fast-track Canada’s economic transition (September 11, 2025)
- NEWS SECTIONS: 45th PARLIAMENT of CANADA | BUDGET 2025 | COUNCIL of the FEDERATION | MAJOR NATIONAL PROJECTS | TRADE DIVERSIFICATION | ENERGY SECTOR