Enbridge, union square off over where Alberta bitumen should be upgraded

EDMONTON – Both sides at hearings in Edmonton on a pipeline that would ship bitumen from Alberta’s oilsands to Asian markets are pointing to comments made by the late Peter Lougheed.

Lawyers for Calgary-based Enbridge (TSX:ENB) say that the former premier said in one of his last interviews that the $6-billion Northern Gateway pipeline should go ahead.

But Gil McGowan of the Alberta Federation of Labour says Lougheed also supported local upgrading and expressed concerns many times over the pace of oilsands development.

Enbridge lawyer Rick Neufeld says having the pipeline wouldn’t stop anyone from building an upgrader in Alberta.

McGowan says the pipeline would encourage more oilsands development, causing shortages of labour and materials that would raise the costs of building in Alberta.

Supporters of the project are cross-examining its critics this week at the hearings.