Jobs, growth needed more than a ‘fair deal’

Kenney’s top concern should be the economy, not wrangling with Ottawa

According to Statistics Canada, 18,000 jobs were lost in Alberta last month. It’s safe to say — depending on how loosely we’re defining this term, I suppose — that a “fair deal” with Ottawa would not have saved a single one of them.

That’s not to say that Alberta doesn’t have legitimate gripes with Ottawa — be it the governing Liberals or Confederation itself. However, it’s hard to see how most of what’s held up as representing a “fair deal” should be a top priority at the moment.

Those jobless numbers are a reminder that we are still facing significant economic challenges. This — not reforming Confederation — needs to be the government’s No. 1 focus.

Premier Jason Kenney is in Ottawa today to “vigorously defend Alberta’s interests” and press for a “fair deal for Alberta within Canada.” It does seem odd that as the government’s Fair Deal Panel rolls into Calgary Tuesday night as part of its effort to hear from Albertans on what a “fair deal” looks like, the premier is already embarking on a quest to the nation’s capital to obtain one.

It may well be that the post-federal election zeal for defending Alberta’s interests and fighting for a “fair deal” is a helpful way of keeping a lid on separatist sentiment. It probably also helps fend off any sort of “he’s-too-soft-on-ottawa” revolt on Kenney’s right flank.

So far, though, much of the “fair deal” talk has centred on equalization or more provincial autonomy, including — but not limited to — a provincial pension plan, a provincial police force and a provincial revenue collection agency. However, such ideas do little or nothing to kickstart Alberta’s economy or get people back to work.

In fairness to Kenney, he’s not in Ottawa to talk about such ideas — for the most part. The premier has pushed for changes to Ottawa’s fiscal stabilization fund, which is separate from equalization, although Kenney tends to lump them together. Alberta might have a case for additional stabilization funding, and Kenney has suggested part of that could go toward job creation.

There’s been talk of Ottawa and Alberta collaborating on a new program of gas and oil well reclamation, something that could get a lot of oilfield workers back to work in relatively short order. Let’s hope this will be a major focus of Kenney’s visit.

Kenney also vowed to press Ottawa over the new approval process for megaprojects and the West Coast tanker ban, both of which have arguably helped to discourage energy investment in Canada. However, it’s hard to see how pushing for changes to flawed policy falls into the “fair deal for Alberta” category.

Our more immediate concern should be the status of the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion, and last week delivered good news on that front. But by all means, let’s hold Trudeau’s feet to the fire.

It probably wouldn’t hurt, either, if Kenney lent his voice to the chorus calling for a spring budget — or even a fall fiscal update — that takes meaningful steps toward addressing Canada’s competitiveness and spurring economic growth. That’s not “fair deal” sort of stuff, granted, but it is badly needed.

Whether it’s in Ottawa or here at home, the premier’s top of mind concern needs to be the economy. It would be unfair to blame Kenney for the latest jobless numbers, but, at some point, he will and should be held accountable for the state of the economy.

It is also unfair to suggest that the corporate tax reduction was a mistake. It was smart policy to remove this disincentive to investing in Alberta. To those lamenting the lost revenue: we’d be far better off with a sales tax than a reversal of the corporate tax cuts — corporate taxes are the least efficient and most economically damaging form of taxation

In the meantime, though, let’s not let the push for a so-called “fair deal” distract us from what’s really needed at the moment: jobs and economic growth.