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HuffPost Canada 'Backbenchers' Episode 4: Trudeau Tries To Crack A Kinder Surprise

Clock's ticking.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau arrives on Parliament Hill before a meeting with B.C. Premier John Horgan and Alberta Premier Rachel Notley, on the deadlock over Kinder Morgan's Trans Mountain pipeline expansion in Ottawa on April 15, 2018.
The Canadian Press
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau arrives on Parliament Hill before a meeting with B.C. Premier John Horgan and Alberta Premier Rachel Notley, on the deadlock over Kinder Morgan's Trans Mountain pipeline expansion in Ottawa on April 15, 2018.

Just as the hullabaloo around his controversial trip to India began to (sort of) quiet down, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was handed a Kinder surprise.

Kinder Morgan, the Texas-based company behind the contentious Trans Mountain pipeline expansion, announced earlier this month it would be suspending all non-essential work and spending on the project.

The extension, which was approved by Trudeau in 2016 and would run from Alberta to B.C., has faced fierce opposition from the latter province's NDP government.

Kinder Morgan also set a deadline of May 31 to get "certainty" on the project so it could alleviate the concerns of its shareholders, which caused the feds to scramble.

On the fourth episode of "Backbenchers," we take a look at how Trudeau responded to the company's sudden ultimatum and explain how we got to this point in the first place.

We also have a glimpse of some drama in the Tory ranks that was started by a ... book that hasn't even come out yet. Watch the full video embedded above.

Missed the last episode? Watch it here.

Catch "Backbenchers" every other Tuesday, right here on HuffPost Canada.

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