VANCOUVER – A former federal environment minister says B-C Premier Christy Clark is on the right path with her tough talk on the proposed Northern Gateway pipeline.
   
Liberal David Anderson says Canadian oil giant Enbridge — which wants to build the six-billion-dollar pipeline — is “the last company in North America” that should be allowed do it.
   
Anderson says the company has a “cowboy culture” and pays little attention to environmental safety procedures.
   
The pipeline would transport crude from Alberta’s oil sands to a port on B.C.’s west coast for export to foreign markets.
  
Last week, Clark walked out of talks at an annual premiers’ meeting that included discussion about crafting a national energy strategy.
   
She has declared Alberta must negotiate sharing economic benefits from the pipeline.
   
And her government has announced five conditions that must be met in order for B-C to even begin to consider shoring up its support for the project.
   
Clark has not clearly stated how much she wants in exchange, or whether it would be skimmed from royalties.
   
However, B-C has said it’s not interested in taxing Enbridge any further.