Done with elected politics, Wall moves on to political lobbying

That Brad Wall didn’t quietly ride off into the western sunset continues to fuel speculation on his political future.

As we all know, after resigning as premier, Wall headed west to Calgary for the rather nebulous special adviser job at the Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP law firm, where his duties seem to revolve around very public speaking engagements promoting all things good for conservative business.

The burning questions for many are: What is the purpose? Federal politics? Maybe a run at federal Conservative leadership? Well, not quite.

As it turns out, Wall’s new role does serve a political purpose

... even if it isn’t an elected role and even if he doesn’t much talk about it.

Wall again weighed in on federal political matters during a speech to a Saskatoon agricultural conference this week.

In fairness, much of his talk was on Chinese trade relations specific to agriculture. Intriguing, however, is how quickly this “agriculture address” transitioned to NAFTA negotiations and then to more domestic matters like Bill C-69, which changes environmental approval processes and is opposed by the oil industry.

“I’m telling people now to go phone a senator because that’s almost the last, best hope,” Wall told the crowd — an ironic directive, given one of his last narratives as premier representing all Saskatchewan people was advocating the complete abolition of the Senate.

Wall went on to say voters need to either persuade the current government to change its position “or change the government.”

Hmmm? Talk of government change? Surely, enough to get tongues wagging. There again, the fact that Wall has shaved off his post-political-life beard was enough to ignite gossip about political comeback. It doesn’t usually take much. But consider what Wall is saying. While still very political, it suggests an agenda that doesn’t seem to be about pursuing elected office.

For starters, the last time rumours came fast and furious about Wall entering federal politics was the suggestion he might try to succeed Stephen Harper as Conservative leader after the 2015 campaign. Those rumours went nowhere.

Andrew Scheer became the surprise winner over Maxime Bernier. The big job Wall would want is taken. And should Scheer falter, wouldn’t a politician as shrewd as Wall realize it’s unlikely the Conservatives would select a second consecutive leader from Saskatchewan or even another from the Prairies?

Also, what Wall is saying is a bit too edgy for a politician carefully building a national profile.

“I haven’t seen Western alienation at this level in a long, long time,” Wall said, adding that young professionals in Calgary are asking “existential questions about the West in the federation, are wondering why the country doesn’t like what we do for a living, and why do we not feel more a part of the country.”

Wall went on say it is not “treasonist” or “separatist” to say you are alienated and that your region is being treated unfairly. In this new role, Wall can say certain things he couldn’t as premier and that federal Conservatives still can’t.

But it’s rather obvious Wall’s message is about something, which takes us back to his role as “special adviser” in the law firm.

In a National Post column by John Ivison last month, Wall insisted he was “done with politics” but acknowledged some involvement in the Buffalo Project — what’s been described a U.s.-style political action committee (PAC) that runs parallel interest campaigns with big-time financial backing. Ivison quoted Buffalo Project spokesman Derek Robinson confirming the group has business backing. It is not a separatist group but will “stand up for the West ... within a united Canada” by backing things like Canada Action pro-pipeline rallies, Robinson said.

For his part, Wall claimed he has no direct role with the Buffalo Project other than “helping with fundraisers” and supporting its goals. He has declined other interviews on the matter.

But it isn’t very difficult to connect the dots between Wall’s new “special adviser” job, the thinly veiled politics in his current speech and what we know of the work of the Pac-like Buffalo Project.

Wall has simply moved from politician to political lobbyist.