OTTAWA — The federal New Democrats are calling on the Trudeau Liberals to work with the British Columbia government on a joint reference to the Supreme Court of Canada.

It’s aimed at a fast-track resolution of issues arising from B.C.’s objections to the Trans Mountain pipeline project.

NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh says it’s the quickest way to resolve jurisdictional questions over the pipeline expansion.

Singh says he opposes the pipeline project because it was approved under what he calls flawed environmental assessment rules brought in by the previous Conservative government.

But he says, one way or another, the project needs to move forward.

And he says the slower option would be to let the B.C. government launch legal battles in lower courts, which would likely end up in a lengthy appeals process.

Earlier this year the Liberals rejected the option of going to the Supreme Court, fearing both the time such a step would take and the suggestion of doubt about jurisdiction when Ottawa firmly believes there is none.

Finance Minister Bill Morneau says the federal government won’t negotiate an end to the Trans Mountain pipeline crisis in public.

But he said today the Liberal government is looking at several “financial options” to ensure the Alberta-B-C pipeline expansion gets built.