Harper Accused Of 'Hiding' After Northern Gateway Pipeline Decision

In the end, one of the biggest decisions of Prime Minister Stephen Harper's career was marked with little more than a press release. And, this time, the words "Harper government" were nowhere to be found.

On Tuesday afternoon, the Conservative government announced its conditional approval for Enbridge Inc.'s controversial $7-billion Northern Gateway pipeline project between the Alberta oilsands and the B.C. coast.

In a statement from Natural Resources Minister Greg Rickford, the government announced the decision was contingent on Enbridge satisfying 209 conditions set out by a federal review panel and embarking on more consultations with affected aboriginal communities.
The project faces intense opposition from environmentalists, First Nations groups and British Columbians who fear it poses a risk to the B.C. coast.

But neither Harper nor any of his ministers held a press conference Tuesday to address those concerns, leaving his top rivals to accuse Tories of trying to duck controversy.

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http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2014/06/17/harper-northern-gateway-hiding-decision_n_5505374.html?utm_hp_ref=canada-politics

No surprise, Harper often out of the country trying to give more of Canada away when something sure to be unpopular is announced. He's trying to distance himself more than usual after this announcement though, he knows he's in for a major fight.