The United Conservatives are lukewarm at best to the NDP's plan to spend billions on new rail tankers to move Alberta oil to market.

UCP Leader Jason Kenney says more rail isn't what's needed.

"What we need is pipelines. That's why the United Conservatives will implement a "fight back" strategy, to create a national coalition that demands pipeline completion as part of our fight for a new deal for Alberta."

Kenney says if they become government after the spring election, they'll look very carefully at each and every contract signed by the NDP in the run-up to the election.

The NDP's plan would see them spend $3.7 billion leasing 4,400 rail cars to move up to 120,000 barrels of Alberta crude a day by 2020.

In a release, Premier Rachel Notley says Each and every Albertan owns our energy resources and deserves to get top dollar for them.

"We are taking decisive actions to protect people and to protect our natural inheritance. When challenges are placed in front of us, we overcome them. I'm going to keep working every day to fight for a better future for every person who calls Alberta home."

Kenney was quick to jump on the plan, saying, in a release, this is a problem of the NDP's own making.

"The NDP has created a fiscal train wreck, putting Albertans on track for $100 billion in debt, and now the NDP is adding $4 billion tax dollars to that debt for a risky venture in the middle of the legal campaign period.

"This desperate move is a result of the NDP - Trudeau alliance shutting down pipelines. The NDP opposed Keystone XL and Northern Gateway. They did nothing to fight Trudeau’s killing of Energy East. They have done nothing meaningful to fight the NDP blockage of Trans Mountain in B.C. Their failed alliance with Justin Trudeau helped to create this mess."

 

Send us your news tips, story ideas and comments at news@highriveronline.com