PM Justin Trudeau expressing anger at six premiers on television, rather than making an attempt to negotiate an amicable resolution, is a strange way to “gather us together”

Premier Kenney issued the following statement following the federal government’s decision on Bill C-69:

“I’m very disappointed to learn that during the night the federal government rejected the vast majority of amendments made by the Senate of Canada to Bill C-69, after thousands of hours of close study and witness testimony. We commend the Senate for its thoroughness in proposing over 180 constructive amendments, including all of those put forward by the previous Alberta government.

“This is not a question of conservative versus liberal: it’s a question of common sense. Every major political party in Alberta shares the same concerns about this bill, as do the majority of provinces. This week, six premiers wrote to the prime minister underlining our urgent concern and asking that he respect the constructive amendments brought forward by senators, including the majority of senators he appointed.

And today, Premier Legault added Quebec’s opposition to the current form of the bill. Without substantial amendments, the bill clearly interferes in areas of exclusive provincial jurisdiction and undermines the future of Canada’s energy sector, investor confidence and national unity.

 

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau

“Prime Minister Trudeau came to office promising a federalism of openness with the provinces and instead we are regrettably getting a door slammed in our faces. We are making one last appeal to the federal government: please listen to job creators, many First Nations, provincial and territorial governments, and to the Senate of Canada. Do not dismiss their hard work and the constructive amendments they made.

“My message to Prime Minister Trudeau is simple: this is not a partisan issue – it is a matter of restoring international confidence in Canada at a time when our reputation as a place to invest is at risk. Without the Senate’s amendments, this bill will drive away more jobs and investment from Canada. It is not too late for the federal government, the House and the Senate to do the right thing and sustain the Senate’s amendments. It’s not too late to do the right thing.”

Meantime, a story in the CBC today included the following:

Centre-right premiers demanding that the federal government accept compromises on pending legislation to regulate natural resource development are themselves threatening national unity, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Tuesday.

"It's absolutely irresponsible for conservative premiers to be threatening our national unity if they don't get their way," Trudeau told reporters today.

"The fundamental job of any Canadian prime minister is to hold this country together, to gather us together and move forward in the right way. And anyone who wants to be prime minister, like Andrew Scheer, needs to condemn those attacks on national unity."

Trudeau made the remarks a day after the premiers of Ontario, New Brunswick, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta and the Northwest Territories wrote him to demand he make concessions on two key government bills.

And what does regular contributor, and political analyst John Feldsted have to say about Trudeau’s thoughts on what the Premiers of nearly 60% of Canada’s population had to say?

It is possible that Trudeau finally ‘gets it’. Provinces outside of central Canada are fed up with central governance that impoverishes them.

The PM’s angry demeanor and words look like an aristocrat’s reaction to news that the household staff has declared a strike, "The fundamental job of any Canadian prime minister is to hold this country together, to gather us together and move forward in the right way.”    

Expressing anger at six premiers on television, rather than making an attempt to negotiate an amicable resolution, is a strange way to “gather us together”. The petulance is inappropriate and divisive. Provinces are not going to ‘knuckle under’ to imperious decrees from Ottawa.

Trudeau, for the first time, is frightened, and Premiers are rebelling.

Worse, Ontario is in the mix. Those premiers represent 21.7 million Canadians, nearly 60% of the population. If one more province joins the group, it will have the power to force constitutional amendments.

Seven provinces with over 50% of the population can either toss, or substantially change, the hated equalization clause, dump the Senate or change the Senate representation to 6 senators per province.

Trudeau may regret bypassing Ford and Ontario to deal directly with Toronto. That arrogance has put federal authority in serious jeopardy.  

Those words again from political analyst and commentator John Feldsted, of Winnipeg.  

It definitely appears like troubles brewing, and that we are getting closer and closer to the boiling point over the issue a resources being able to access markets through-out the world.