The Alberta government says Ottawa is dodging responsibility by not standing behind the province's planned proposal for a pipeline that would bring oil to the B.C. coast.

In a statement Friday, Premier Danielle Smith's office said the decision to build a pipeline lies solely with Prime Minister Mark Carney and the federal government.

"We expect him to act decisively and in support of this project," said spokesman Sam Blackett.

"Anything short of that will be a betrayal of (the) constitutional rights of Alberta’s citizens and calls into question whether Canada is a functional and law-abiding democracy."

It comes a day after federal Natural Resources Minister Tim Hodgson told the Senate that if Smith wants the project to become a reality, she needs to get the B.C. government and affected

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