The NDP’s Carol Hughes says Canadian taxpayers will suffer from the purchase of the Kinder Morgan Pipeline.

According to the Algoma-Manitoulin-Kapuskasing MP, the 65-year-old pipeline, bought for $4.5 billion by Canada, was originally worth only $550 million.

Hughes says this will be very expensive on the side of taxpayers.

She also questions why the government chose to save this project but not others.

Hughes says taxpayers will be the ones who suffer, despite there being better ways to create more jobs.

Hughes says the federal government claims to not have money for affordable housing or healthcare but has overspent on this pipeline.

Finance Minister Bill Morneau defended the decision to purchase the pipeline saying the price was fair for a project of such significant commercial value.

He says Canada will now create a government run company or Crown organization, to take over the pipeline project and its expansion set for August as well as find another private sector buyer.

However, if no buyer can be found, Canadian taxpayers will have to cover the costs of building the pipeline.