MURRAY MANDRYK,

He may have blown chance to make case for this province

Early Tuesday morning, news reports suggested two Saskatchewan politicians — federal Opposition Leader Andrew Scheer and Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe — were meeting with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to hold his federal Liberal government to account.

That was a big problem for one of the two.

One expects Andrew Scheer to hold Justin Trudeau to account ... although the view that he is just another western or Saskatchewan politician doing so is not exactly a favourable image for him.

Scheer is the national opposition leader in a minority parliament, meaning his role of holding the government to account takes on added significance. It is precisely his job to hold the Trudeau government to account, and perhaps now to also have input into government direction/policy, which should very much mean the state of our oil and gas sector economy and how it is now affected by both world economic realities and federal policies like the carbon tax.

Even Scheer’s pronouncements Tuesday that it’s “up to Mr. Trudeau to find common ground to get his throne speech passed” and that “this country is more divided than ever” are well within his purview to say. This is the political reality in our country right now.

But was it helpful for Moe to — in even more strident terms Tuesday — carry the water for the highly political anti-trudeau sentiments by suggesting the PM is unwilling to compromise? Are we just to accept Moe’s interpretation that he somehow “heard nothing” in his meeting with Trudeau, who spoke to Saskatchewan’s concerns and grievances driving national disunity after stating publicly that he was very much concerned?

How is talk of more Saskatchewan autonomy helpful?

Or is it possible that Moe — as a provincial leader — is still acting more like a conservative politician who wants to see Trudeau gone, than like a true provincial leader who should be doing all he can to bring home realistic solutions to problems in this province? As Moe chases Alberta Premier Jason Kenney around the edge of this toilet-bowl vortex of western separation that is starting to suck in some people in this province, we need to seriously start questioning the tactics here.

Scott Moe is a premier, and his view that it is his role to hold the federal Liberals to account is a problem in this country right now. Moe’s post-meeting press conference performance — specifically, the implied reference that Trudeau wants to do nothing for Saskatchewan — was very discouraging.

It would obviously be highly unfortunate if it was completely true. But given the higher likelihood that this is Moe’s political interpretation of the meeting, it’s just as unfortunate Moe may have blown this opportunity to make a solid case on behalf of this province.

“Following the election of Prime Minister Trudeau’s minority government, I raised three Saskatchewan priorities that I will be emphasizing with the Prime Minister: adjusting the inequitable equalization formula, putting a one-year pause on the carbon tax so federal and provincial officials can re-evaluate Saskatchewan’s plan to address climate change, and expanding market access for Saskatchewan exports,” Moe said in statement released on the weekend. “In each case, we are proposing reasonable actions the Prime Minister and his minority government can take that will show he is prepared to address the concerns and frustrations of Saskatchewan people.”

The problem right now is that by storming to the mikes and suggesting there is nothing positive here may even be eliminating the possibility of some compromises where we can at least get help for farmers and others.

Surely, though, no one — including Moe — was under the impression that Trudeau would simply acquiesce to all-or-nothing demands in their first hour-long meeting. And now Moe is talking autonomy? Was this about creating more disunity, when he should have been trying to work with the PM?

If Moe is playing politics here — and it sure looks like he is to some degree — he’s playing a very dangerous game.

Mandryk is the political columnist for the Regina Leader-post.