Western independence not the answer, Moe says

But premier says he’s willing to let breakup advocates have their say

Premier Scott Moe isn’t ruling out any options for bolstering Saskatchewan’s autonomy within Canada, as he faces renewed calls to distance himself from separatist views that have surged since last month’s federal election.

He made clear that he doesn’t think western independence is “the way forward” but refused to condemn increasingly vocal demands to break up the country.

“Most certainly, I don’t think western separation is the answer,” Moe said on Wednesday. “I don’t think Saskatchewan separating from the nation is the answer. However, I am not going to denounce the feelings and the conversations that are happening by Saskatchewan people.”

Moe faced a barrage of criticism during question period Wednesday from Saskatchewan NDP Leader Ryan Meili, who accused him of “belligerence and grandstanding” after a Tuesday meeting with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

Meili called on the premier to show leadership and stand up for Canadian unity.

“Will the premier make it 100 per cent clear today that there’s no room in his party for any talk of separating Saskatchewan from Canada?” Meili demanded.

Moe demurred and only addressed the question later, in a scrum with reporters.

“I’m not going to denounce people the opportunity to have the conversations that they choose,” he said.

“I don’t feel it’s the way forward. I most certainly am going to engage with the people that I represent across this province.”

But he provided no new information on his recent request for more provincial autonomy, an idea he mentioned right after his meeting with Trudeau.

Alberta Premier Jason Kenney has floated ideas like withdrawal from the Canada Pension Plan and forming a provincial police force. The Wexit Saskatchewan group issued a news release Wednesday seeking precisely that while applauding Moe’s “strong words.”

Moe did not give any such commitments on Wednesday, but also didn’t rule them out.

“I would say that all items are on the table when it comes to discussions about ensuring that Saskatchewan is a strong province, a strong province within the nation of Canada,” he said.

Meili told reporters that, under Moe’s leadership, the Saskatchewan Party is beginning to remind him of the Parti Quebecois, which pushes for independence in Quebec. He said western independence might seem like a far-fetched idea, but it needs to be taken seriously and pre-emptively extinguished.

“Nobody took Trump seriously, nobody took Brexit seriously, and then they happened,” he said. “We can’t just ignore this. We need to be clear about both understanding the anxieties that drive people’s interest in this conversation ... but giving no space to this notion of breaking up Canada.”

Voices supporting western separatism have intensified in the wake of election results that swept the Liberals from Alberta and Saskatchewan. Moe has blamed those divisions on federal policies and promoted a three-point plan that he took to Ottawa on Tuesday.

But Moe and Trudeau gave differing accounts of what transpired behind closed doors.

Moe said he was disappointed to hear “more of the same” from Trudeau who, in the premier’s telling, refused to make any commitments to pause the carbon tax, restructure equalization or promote market access for western resources.

Trudeau’s office issued a summary of the meeting that stressed the prime minister’s openness to working on a range of contentious issues.

“The Prime Minister invited Premier Moe to provide suggestions for improvements to the Impact Assessment Act (known as Bill C-69), and said he would consider suggestions for improvements to federal transfers, including the Fiscal Stabilization Program,” it said, referring to a program that essentially provides insurance payments for provinces facing sharp revenue losses.

On equalization, Trudeau advised Moe to gain consensus from other premiers on changes to the formula, according to the summary.

Moe responded on Wednesday by arguing that there is near-consensus among premiers on needed changes to Bill C-69.

“This is information that the federal government already has at their fingertips,” he said.

He said the same near-consensus exists regarding carbon taxation, with many provinces backing up Saskatchewan’s views about provincial jurisdiction.

But the prime ministerial summary appeared categorical on the carbon tax, brushing aside any notion that Ottawa will relax its minimum national price.

“The Prime Minister reaffirmed the importance of putting a price on pollution as a key part of Canada’s efforts to address climate change, and expressed an openness to work with any provincial government that plans to meet the federal benchmark,” the statement said.