Border battle
Re: Time for Ottawa to lead on pipelines. Andrew Coyne, Feb. 6; Note to Notley: Trudeau’s got your back. Kelly McParland, Feb. 6; Time for bold leadership on pipeline. John Ivison, Feb. 3
Given its handling of pipelines, if the current government had been in charge of building the Canadian Pacific Railway, we might not have that railway or our country as we know it.
B.C. and Manitoba desperately wanted the CPR but objected strongly to the way Ottawa was building it; John A. Macdonald wanted it completed ASAP. He immediate- ly vetoed every action they took and made it absolutely clear that he would continue to do so.
This federal government shows no hesitation involving itself in areas of provincial jurisdiction but has a strange reluctance to deal quickly and properly with matters for which it is clearly responsible like pipelines, defence, veterans affairs, interprovincial trade, foreign affairs, peacekeeping, or paying i ts employees. Lets see some action on pipelines!
Ed Whitcomb, Ottawa
So, Prime Minister Trudeau feels that the existing resource project review system has failed to provide credible outcomes that are broadly trusted by the people that would be affected. Thousands of miles of existing Canadian pipelines, highways, power lines and other resource projects would beg to differ.
What he is really saying is that the existing approval regime is failing to deliver the political support that he so much desires.
John P. A. Budreski, Vancouver
While one appreciates the determination with which Prime Minister Justin Trudeau championed the Kinder Morgan pipeline in the face of hostile opposition, fine words alone don’t butter any parsnips.
If B. C. remains intransigent, the prime minister must invoke the “work for the general advantage of Canada” provisions of the Constitution and complete the project without further delay.
To this end, Trudeau could do no better than emulate his father, who, when asked what action he proposed to meet the Quebec Crisis of October 1970, said “Just watch me” and followed it up by, inter alia, invoking the War Measures Act and calling out the military in aid of the civil power.
When asked h ow he would justify such apparent overkill to the “bleeding hearts” he simply replied “Let them bleed.” And behold, the crisis soon passed.
Alexander McKay, Calgary
I agree with Coyne, but at the same time Ottawa should have promoted — as many have — “erasing” the border between B. C. and Alberta when it comes to resource development and management.
I was briefly optimistic when B.C. miraculously elected an NDP government. If ever, this should be the time for regional interest to rule.
Peter A. Dueck, Vancouver
Andrew Coyne and Kelly McParland suggest that it is time for Mr. Trudeau to take action in support of Kinder Morgan in the face of the latest obstruction thrown up by B. C. Premier John Horgan. In a recent letter, a reader points out that, at present, there is no “deed” for the prime minister to do. The pipeline has been approved and should be built.
It seems to me that there is a very good likelihood that the prime minister will be challenged to take action later in the building process. That will occur when B. C. protesters seek to impede construction using acts of civil disobedience. Then Mr. Trudeau might very well need the prompt and effective services of the troops, whose veterans are fighting a legal battle with his government seeking more support than his government is “able to give.”
Interesting times indeed.
Gordon Goodfellow, Calgary