Alberta’s government says Ottawa is dodging responsibility by not standing behind a proposed pipeline project to the B.C. coast.

Premier Danielle Smith’s office says the decision to build a pipeline lies solely with Prime Minister Mark Carney and the federal government.

Her spokesperson Sam Blackett says anything short of decisive support would be a betrayal of the constitutional rights of Alberta’s citizens and call into question whether Canada is a functional democracy.

It comes after federal Energy and Natural Resources Minister Tim Hodgson told the Senate on Thursday that if Smith wants the project to become reality, she needs to get the B.C. government and coastal First Nations on board.

He said Alberta has work to do before it submits the proposal to the federal Major Projects Of

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