Legault wants nothing to do with oil pipelines other premiers crave
I certainly know Canadians expect us to be able to roll up our sleeves and talk constructively.
Premier François Legault said he doesn’t want to hear any more talk about oil pipelines crossing Quebec because the issue is no longer socially acceptable. Arriving for what is shaping up to be an acrimonious meeting of Canada’s first ministers in Montreal and where some of his counterparts want oil moved up on the agenda, Legault signalled that it’s a nonstarter for Quebec. “There are some who maybe will want to talk about petroleum. I am going to talk to them about hydro electricity,” Legault said arriving at the downtown Sheraton Hotel for meetings. Asked more specifically if he has any interest in resurrecting the failed Energy East pipeline proposal, which TransCanada abandoned last year citing regulatory hurdles and which was staunchly opposed in Quebec, Legault slammed the door. “There’s no social acceptability (for oil) in Quebec,” Legault told reporters, continuing to polish his government’s less than green image in the face of Quebec’s growing climate-action movement. But as the premiers gathered Wednesday evening for dinner at Marvin’s in Park Extension, there were lingering signs of a spat over the focus of their meeting Friday with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. Trudeau is the one who invited them to the restaurant, which is in his home riding of Papineau. In the last few hours, some of the premiers complained about the draft federal agenda for the meeting because they said it was too tilted to Ottawa’s priorities. Legault confirmed the premiers’ beefs himself, mentioning many found there was too much time for presentations and not enough time for premiers to “express themselves.” And many of them appeared ready to give Trudeau an earful. On Thursday, Ontario Premier Doug Ford threatened to walk out of the meeting if the agenda was not changed to specifically include the federal carbon tax, which he opposes. Ford later dropped the idea of walking out, telling reporters he hopes the federal-provincial meeting results in “constructive dialogue.” “We want to be sure the agenda is about exactly what we want to talk about,” Ford told reporters after arriving in Montreal, adding he didn’t feel like being “lectured” at by Trudeau’s ministers Friday afternoon when their meeting takes place at the Marriott Château Champlain. “We want to talk about things important to our provinces,” he said. Trudeau responded saying he is always ready to sit down and talk. “I have no illusions we are going to agree on everything, but I certainly know Canadians expect us to be able to roll up our sleeves and talk constructively about how we are going to solve the challenges they are facing,” Trudeau said. The tension is a sign of the times for Trudeau who has lost a few key allies from the three previous meetings of this nature, namely Quebec’s Philippe Couillard, Ontario’s Kathryn Wynne and New Brunswick’s Brian Gallant. All were defeated in the last year. They have been replaced with Conservatives including Ford, Saskatchewan’s Scott Moe and New Brunswick’s Blaine Higgs, who have joined forces in court challenges of the federal carbon pricing plan. Higgs for one has said he would like to talk to Legault about the benefits of Energy East. Legault is onside with Trudeau on the carbon issue. Quebec is part of a cap-and-trade greenhouse gas emissions allowance with California. Ontario was, too, but pulled out when Ford became premier. Forced to miss the last day of the legislature’s sitting to attend the meeting, Legault said he wants to talk about continuing U.S. tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminum and compensation for Quebec farmers hurt by the new NAFTA trade agreement. Quebec also intends to raise its demands for federal compensation to cover the cost of the influx of asylum seekers. On Thursday, Legault mentioned he and Ford talked about the new cannabis laws drafted by the two provinces. “I sensed a little bit of jealously (in Ford),” Legault said noting Quebec set the age to consume at 21. “In Ontario it’s 19.”