VANCOUVER - FEDERAL GREEN AND NDP POLITICIANS ARRESTED AT PROTEST

Green Party Leader Elizabeth May says she's been charged with civil contempt after she and a New Democrat MP were arrested at a protest against the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion in Burnaby.

May and Kennedy Stewart had acknowledged they risked arrest by protesting at the pipeline terminal after the B.C. Supreme Court placed limits on where demonstrators could protest.

As she was led away by police, May said the permits issued for the project to proceed did not respect the rights of Indigenous people on their territory.

May was later released and said she was charged with civil contempt for blocking a road, which is not a criminal charge.

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ALBERTA PREMIER CALLS B.C.'S CONCERN OVER HIGH GAS PRICES 'IRONIC'

Premier John Horgan's comments on high gas prices are drawing criticism from his Alberta counterpart.

Rachel Notley says if British Columbia wants to keep gasoline prices low, it should stop opposing the Kinder Morgan oil pipeline expansion.

Horgan said Thursday that he'd like to see Ottawa step in to deal with high gas prices, adding the Kinder Morgan proposal would not bring down gas prices but would just send diluted bitumen to another jurisdiction.

Notley called Horgan's position "ironic," saying open trade between the provinces would mean Alberta could ship more product west.

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NDP'S FLIP-FLOP ON LNG BEING PRAISED

Provincial tax incentives aimed at jump-starting the much-delayed West Coast LNG industry are being welcomed by gas producers.

The B.C. government is hoping the moves will mean a positive investment decision later this year for the $40-billion LNG Canada liquefied natural gas export project, which was put on hold in 2016.

The Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers says the measures will provide a fair return for B.C. gas, create jobs, make partners of First Nations and protect the province's air, land and water.

Calgary-based producer Crew Energy also praised the B.C. government for being proactive in offering inducements for the project.

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RAIN BRINGS FLOODING TO ARMSTRONG

Flooding caused by heavy rainfall has prompted the city of Armstrong to declare a state of emergency.

Mayor Chris Pieper says Meighan Creek rose more than half a metre, leaving some basements flooded.

He says all the units of a senior home have also flooded, forcing 10 people to leave.

The city is providing free sand and bags that people can fill themselves in order to try to protect their property from the flood waters. (CJIB)

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INDIGENOUS ARTISTS GET CHANCE TO HIGHLIGHT MURALS

The City of Vancouver is inviting Indigenous artists to submit their proposals for exterior murals and two-dimensional artwork as part of its ongoing "City of Reconciliation" program.

The artwork must be unique, original work that's accessible to the public and must be successfully completed by this fall.

A range of mediums are allowed, including brush or aerosol paint, graphic prints or other two-dimensional approaches that can be semi-permanently affixed.

The proposals must be submitted by April 18.

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By The Canadian Press, Vancouver

News from © The Canadian Press, 2018