Christy Clark finds a wedge issue for the 2017 B.C. election

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      This morning, Premier Christy Clark expressed her wholehearted support on CBC Radio's The House for the Trans Pacific Partnership.

      The premier tried to make the case that B.C. can't afford to be shut out of a trade deal involving 12 Pacific Rim countries, including Australia, United States, and Japan, but not China.

      The agreement has been slammed by federal New Democrats, making this an ideal wedge issue for Clark to highlight against provincial New Democrats leading up to next year's election.

      "If we are not signed onto that deal, we are going to be shut out," Clark told CBC host Chris Hall.

      The premier also claimed that if Canada doesn't ratify the agreement, it could "compromise our access" under the North American Free Trade Agreement.

      She promised that a motion will be passed in the legislature endorsing the TPP. "It's a good deal for the country," she declared.

      It's also a good way to switch the political channel from liquefied-natural gas. That was the economic vehicle that Clark's B.C. Liberals rode to election in 2013.

      Since then, LNG prices have crashed in Asia and this week, Shell postponed making a final investment decision on its multibillion-dollar LNG project in northwestern B.C. 

      In the meantime, Clark may not find the TPP resonates as well as LNG with voters.

      The four leading contenders for the U.S. presidency (Hillary Clinton, Bernie Sanders, Ted Cruz, and Donald Trump) have all condemned the deal.

      Research in Motion cofounder Jim Balsillie has also criticized the TPP, claiming that it would impede future prosperity.

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