That didn’t last long: the very suggestion Canada would rapidly start building things again, to help wean ourselves from worrying US dependency.
It was always a non-starter given the deep-seated opposition to any such change of policy across our country, no matter how sorely needed. But come on: couldn’t the mirage have lasted at least until the federal election was done? But no, even that was too much for those various powerful interest groups making a living, both financially and morally, upon a continuation of our dreary status quo, one sucking the life from any fresh initiative: strangling it in a toxic mix of endless red tape and mind-numbing legal challenge. To get permission for any new mining project in Canada today takes a minimum of a decade, while you are more likely to see a dodo flapping about than spot any new pipeline being laid. (Genetic scientists are working with that long-gone bird’s DNA in a fascinating bid to bring it back.)
After US President Donald Trump upset the North American apple cart with his unique mix of insults and tariff threats there was indeed a short-lived bout of enthusiasm across Canada in which various parties waxed lyrical about building infrastructure and slashing provincial trade barriers. It lasted about two weeks. Actually, in the case of our newly non-elected Prime Minister Mark Carney, it didn’t even last 24 hours. In a recent visit to Edmonton he momentarily soothed Alberta Premier Danielle Smith’s nerves a tad by assuring her he stood behind our province and its energy industry.
“This is a positive province. It’s a province that knows how to get things done, create new industries,” was his message. He was on a roll: “Canada would deliver things we haven’t seen before at a speed not seen before.”
Carney even got specific, addressing the enormous issue of Ottawa blocking much-needed energy projects while placing carbon emission caps on current projects across Alberta. He wanted to make the industry: “as competitive as possible . . . as opposed to having pre-set caps or pre-set restrictions on pre-set timelines.”
Sure he did. A day later he was singing from a different song-sheet, once his tootsies touched down on Central Canada turf. Oh, there’d be no new pipelines crossing Quebec unless that province gave the green light, he announced. Yes, a different audience, a different day, and a different message: such are the mental gymnastics required of those reaching the apex of the Liberal Party.
But what about that infamous Bill C-69, the one the Supreme Court ruled unconstitutional as it would essentially kill any future resource projects. The ‘no more pipelines bill’ as it’s known in Alberta. Carney confirmed last week his party would keep it if returned to power.
Premier Smith already spelled out the consequences: “Make no mistake. If this law stays, there will be few, if any, large-scale energy infrastructure projects built in this country. This means Canada will become more vulnerable to and overly dependent on the United States.”
But how will Canada compete? How will we stave off a rampant President Trump? Hey, how will we even pay our future bills, if our country’s most lucrative industry is kneecapped? No problem. We’ll borrow bucketfuls of billions. The current tariff row would allow Carney the cover necessary to replicate the enormous debt we took on during Covid times. There’s no need to compete when you can just get money for free.
Never waste a crisis in which to bribe people with their grandchildren’s money in order to get elected. It’s the Liberals’ mantra. Heaven help us if they’re re-elected.
