Lack of leadership from both sides

Re: ’Strong voices’, divided community; Trudeau touts gas pipeline in B.C. following controversial end to blockade, Jan. 10

The latest protest against a gas pipeline to Kitimat, B.C., is a shining example of the fruits of the federal government’s refusal to govern, instead focusing on smiling photo ops and avoiding alienating anyone who could become a lost Liberal vote. The problem is that the Liberal focus is getting re-elected, not governing equitably in the national interest.

All recent governments are guilty of this in their own way, but Trudeau and his government have refined this to a fine art in just three years. The federal government has the constitutional authority to resolve this issue, and similar issues in the national interest, but refuse to exercise that authority. Having shared the spotlight for LNG Canada’s go-ahead, the biggest project in Canadian history, the previous weak support and procrastination on energy projects is now coming back to bite them.

There’s a conspicuous lack of any comment or leadership from Assembly of First Nations’ National Chief Perry Bellegarde in trying to resolve what is essentially a First Nations squabble.

It’s also interesting that B.C. Premier John Horgan is now reaping the rewards of, and having to dance around, his government’s promotion of unhelpful positions on energy projects. His epiphany on the Coastal GasLink project may cause the Green Party’s Andrew Weaver, whose shaky support is the only reason that Horgan has retained power until now, to reconsider his position. David Taylor, Calgary