Questionable strategy

It’s become clear that Jason Kenney is not what they would call an “early adopter.” Somebody else has to try out an idea first before he’ll take it into his bosom. Take the pipeline fight as an example. So far all Jason’s come up with is pointing at Rachel Notley and saying: “What she’s doing. Yup, I’ll do that. But I would have done it sooner and ... I ... I would have ... banned the import of B.C. cheese.”

Which is OK. There comes a time in every Alberta government’s life when it is tactically advantageous to pick a fight with some other jurisdiction. Still, you couldn’t escape the feeling on that one that the UCP had shown up at the station, bags all packed and shoes freshly shined, only to learn the train had pulled out an hour ago.

So then Jason reached back into his hip pocket and pulled out that old reliable. Pick a fight with the federal government. The federal Liberal government! Which is just, tactically, stupid. The stars line up. The federal government and the Province of Alberta are on the same page on an issue, and an issue under federal jurisdiction, I might add. And you’re gonna pick a fight with them! That’s just dumb. Not that Jason is averse to latching onto a move or two from the Liberals, mind you. Justin Trudeau gets elected and what does he do? Turns a complete 180 on the solemn election promise to scrap the current election system from first past the post. Spun around so fast he screwed himself right out of his shoes.

Now, Jason hasn’t been elected yet so he can’t back out on a promise like that. He does the best he can, though. Stands up, up there in Red Deer, and says, “The Grass Roots Guarantee? What I said about the grass roots of the party setting policy? Well, that stands, see. Unless it doesn’t.”

So, while I’ve got no particular problem with Jason glomming onto other parties’ moves, it’s just, you kind of have to question his judgment, some of the moves he takes on board. I mean, come on.

You’ve got a party that’s been bowing at the altar of grass roots control for decades now and what does he do? Stands up and says, “Sure, you can pass the resolutions, but, I get to sign off on the policy.”

It’s another old idea and it’s got an old name: authoritarianism.

Ken Sears

Lethbridge