FEDERAL NDP CASTS ITSELF AS PIPELINE PEACEMAKER — REALLY?
On Wednesday, the pipeline crisis brought a stunning case of hypocrisy on the hoof.
Federal NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh said the B.C. and federal governments should go to the Supreme Court, hand in hand, for a ruling on the constitutionality of the Kinder Morgan pipeline expansion.
That would bring peace and understanding in our time.
Then Singh’s environment critic, Alexandre Boulerice of Montreal, appeared on Vassy Kapelos’ CBC show Power and Politics.
Kapelos asked Boulerice if his party and the B.C. government would accept a ruling in favour of the pipeline and back away from resistance.
The correct and rational answer would be: “Of course.”
But what Boulerice actually said was: “Well, we’ll see.”
He added that if Ottawa could do that kind of thing (you know, approve projects) “I’d be really worried.”
Boulerice then went on about the horrible pipeline “nobody wants.”
You may pause here to reboot your gag reflex.
These anti-pipeline fanatics, these enemies of the Constitution, would even use the Supreme Court as a delaying ploy, and then go ahead and resist no matter what the ruling.
Singh was doing B.C. Premier John Horgan’s work when he suggested the court reference. Horgan seems to be looking for an exit hatch. Inevitable defeat in the Supreme Court would allow him to say he did his best, but his government must tolerate the project without resistance.
On those terms, the argument for going to the court could have some appeal. But then Boulerice uttered that short sentence — “Well, we’ll see.”
Would Horgan actually back away? Or would he just use the Supreme Court delay as another pipeline spike belt, with more to roll out later?
Federal Finance Minister Bill Morneau later gave an even better reason for refusing to waste the court’s time.
“We don’t see a need to refer something to the Supreme Court of Canada when we already know that it’s a federal jurisdiction,” he said in Ottawa.
The B.C. premier is welcome to whatever alt-left delusions he chooses to entertain, but he has no right to use the B.C. government as the battering ram for his claim that the project is not in the national interest. That is Ottawa’s call, not his.
The court reference idea is, in short, absurd. Singh wants to look like a neutral peacemaker when the federal NDP’s pipeline stance is already clear.
“This is a way forward that actually unites instead of dividing,” Singh said.
He could tell that to his environment critic.
Meanwhile, Alberta Premier Rachel Notley met Morneau on Wednesday to talk about proposals for rescuing the pipeline.
Notley apparently explained a range of Alberta’s options for guarantees, investments or outright control of the expansion project. She will likely welcome federal participation in any one of them.
Morneau later acknowledged obliquely what’s been reported here: that Ottawa is also in serious talks with Kinder Morgan about supplying financial security to the project.
It’s always possible that the feds are working up a solution that’s theirs alone. They’re painting this as a campaign to save the Canadian economy and the very fabric of Confederation. They won’t necessarily want Notley to do that national job for them.
It’s unlikely we’ll know specifics from Ottawa before the next federal cabinet meeting on April 24.
Until then, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will continue to be hammered for inaction and vague talk of “all options are on the table.”
But official Ottawa is frantically busy, don’t doubt it. Morneau isn’t making it up when he says the feds are simply refusing to negotiate in public.
That alone makes you suspect Ottawa may be the really serious player here.