Alberta premier lobbying for Keystone XL pipeline in Washington

Alberta Premier Alison Redford appears to be looking to Congress for support of the Keystone XL pipeline in what could prove to be an end-run around U.S. President Barack Obama.

Redford is in Washington today where she met with Canada's ambassador, Gary Doer.

During a photo op at the Canadian embassy, Doer waved toward the Capitol while stating that 62 senators had, in principle, voted for what the ambassador called "our favourite project."

A March congressional vote, which supported the building of Keystone with 17 Democrats onside, was interpreted by some as a move toward taking away Obama's presidential permit for the pipeline.

Another bill is currently before Congress that would explicitly remove the presidential permit and put the decision in the hands of pro-pipeline U.S. senators.

On Wednesday, Redford will meet with members of Congress to pitch the pipeline's importance to the Canadian and U.S. economies, but her staff won't yet say who she's meeting.