Main image: Prime Minister Justin Trudeau holds a news conference with members of his cabinet to discuss the rail blockades. (From left) Bill Blair, minister of public safety; Chrystia Freeland, deputy prime minister; Trudeau; Marc Miller, Indigenous services minister; Carolyn Bennett, minister of Crown-Indigenous relations; and Marc Garneau, transport minister. (Fred Chartrand | The Canadian Press)
Hugh Mackenzie
Huntsville Doppler
Crunch Time
One would think that, by now, I would be immune to political hypocrisy but this week in Ottawa it hit a new high that quickly grabbed my attention.
The blockade of our railroad system in Canada has been going on for about two weeks, causing serious damage to our national economy. For at least half of that time our Prime Minister was out of the country. True, he did cancel the last stop on his sales tour to promote a seat for Canada on the United Nations Security Council, but by then the fire was ablaze and, to that point, he had done very little to address it.
Chantal Hébert, a Toronto Star columnist, said it best: “That Justin Trudeau came late to the scene—at a time when most of Canada’s railway system had been ground to a halt by Indigenous blockades—is not in question. That his belated entry into the debate fuelled doubts as to whether he was on top of the issue is also not a matter for debate.”
When he did get home, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau effectively told us to calm down. His implication was that mere Canadians did not understand the intricacies of the issue, that he felt our pain, but we just had to leave it to him to solve this problem peacefully and that it may take some time.
He repeated much the same message when Parliament convened. He called again for patience, said he was committed to dialogue, and discouraged any kind of police action to enforce injunctions issued by the courts. He effectively enabled the protesters.
Andrew Scheer, still leader of Her Majesty’s Loyal Opposition, still doing his duty, responded with a different perspective. He pointed out that the government had had ten days for effective dialogue with the protesters and that the time had now come to act. He highlighted the devastating effect of the blockade on commuters, farmers, business concerns and ordinary consumers who faced a potential shortage of fuel to heat their homes. He also emphasized that many First Nations communities were opposed to the blockade and supported a pipeline and that a significant number of protesters were activists with little or no connection to Indigenous people and with their own agenda. The language may have been blunt, but he was right on all counts.
Mr. Trudeau was apoplectic over Andrew Scheer’s remarks in Parliament, to the point where he excluded the leader of the opposition, whose party won more votes in the recent federal election than his own, from a summit meeting with all other opposition leaders on how to deal with the blockade. His reason, he said, was that, “Mr. Scheer disqualified himself with an unacceptable speech earlier today.“ Really? The man was doing his job and if we cannot have free expression of speech in the Parliament of Canada, where can we have it?
But this is not hypocrisy. This is more like how an autocrat would react, refusing to listen to anyone who may not agree with him. It was astonishingly Trump-like in its execution.
No, the hypocrisy came a mere 72 hours later when the prime minister did a complete turn-around, echoing many of the arguments that Andrew Scheer had made and that the prime minister had so recently condemned. As one pundit had said, “You cannot play hurt bunny and say one political leader is unworthy of being involved in any discussions because of the position they hold, and then 72 hours later adopt the same position.”
That is effectively what Justin Trudeau did. He finally said that the barricades on rail lines and other major transportation routes must come down. He said there cannot be negotiation when only one party will come to the table and he said the onus to resolve the situation peacefully is now on the protesters. The tone may have been slightly softer, but the message is the same. One way or another, the blockades must come down.
So, what changed? Perhaps the prime minister read the editorial on Wednesday in his favorite newspaper, the Toronto Star, which said, “The protesters have a right to make their views known, but they don’t have a right to strangle the economy.” Or perhaps, and even more likely, the government and the Liberal party have done their own internal polling and discovered that most Canadians are not with the prime minister on this one. They want the blockades to end now. Not sometime down the road, not after more posturing or deal making, but now! Generally speaking, Canadians do not like being held for ransom. Perhaps the prime minister is getting that message, albeit late.
Whatever brought it about, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has now taken a stand. Blockade protesters have, so far, given him the middle finger. Now, we will have to see if he really means what he says. It will be a defining test of his leadership.
Of course, everyone would prefer to see a peaceful solution to the railroad blockade, but it needs to come quickly. If not, then the law must be upheld as compassionately and safely as possible, but nevertheless upheld. Trains must be allowed to run again without interference and people should be allowed to get on with their lives without harmful disruption.
As it is quoted so often these days, no one is above the law, no matter the circumstances. It is a defining truth. Two weeks of civil disobedience in Canada is enough. The blockades must end. Scheer has said it, Trudeau has said it, and Canadians across the country are saying it.
It’s crunch time.
Hugh Mackenzie
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Not very impressed with our government at the moment!
Concerning Coronavirus, have a look at the Public Health Ontario, a decent website. Here is a link which you may find of help. https://www.publichealthontario.ca/
Title retained, ok. As a description of how one’s opinion is expressed … ?
“Crunch Time” expresses well the need to end the rail blockades. Unfortunately we are too often told that it is our duty to leave our concerns about illegal actions to the legal system, police, and leaders elected and unelected, since the rest of us just don’t understand. What I do understand is that Canada’s current mixture of immediate, short-term, and long-term needs has become a hopeless tangle. We need to distinguish between peaceful protest that Justin Trudeau has encouraged, and illegal blockage of essential transportation that he eventually managed to decide was not O.K.
The time to deal with a protest which is impeding public infrastructure is immediately.
Not three weeks in after much damage has been done.
This problem is symptomatic of the abdication of responsibility for public order. It isn’t just the hooligans blocking railway tracks but also the schools and similar places where select groups wish to impose their will on the majority.
It should not require a court order to establish peace and order. The police must maintain and protect the public interest according to law or society will break down. If police officials do not find this agreeable they should resign. The situation is out of control and no wonder.
Don’t try to block a mainline railway in Europe or Britain or the US. It won’t work out well for you.
Canada is becoming a laughingstock. It is shameful.
I grew up beside the Mohawk Territory of Tyendinaga. The people there have a different perspective of the rule of law, and politicians doing their duty.
Their land was deeded to them ‘forever’ in 1793. That lasted but 30 years, when pieces were taken for white settlements in Deseronto and Shannonville. They never agreed, but nobody cared.
More than 170 years passed while they waited for justice. During this time the law delivered them residential schools. When that became unpalatable , they were treated to children being removed to foster care. All this was brought to them by the law.
Finally the courts agreed with their land claim at the turn of this century. The Liberal government
started to work on it. Then Harper and his Honourable Ministers decided to do nothing about that court order. At least the Conservatives were honest about it. Assimilation is what was needed, not restitution.
Back comes the Liberals and Trudeau egging them on. The law is on their side. ‘We will do better’. Except, a pipeline is needed, so we will take a little more land first. No time for discussion.
The Indeginous people have been ruled by the law for more than 200 years. It is brought to them by politicians of all stripes ‘doing their duty’.
The US were racist. British and Spanish colonialists were racist. Canadians just follow the law.
Hi Karen,
In Canada, cabinet ministers retain the title “Honourable” for life.
Finally a calm, informed, reasoned response.
Does anyone else question the continued use of ‘Hon.’ by Tony Clement?
His comment adds nothing to the discussion.
Consider Mike Harris and Dudley George. That was not particularly well addressed, was it?
Amen and Amen.
Wow! “short hairs”. I thought the expression was “by the short curly hairs”, which refers to genitalia. Mature comment Hon. Tony. Could you find a better way to express yourself in public discourse? Just a thought.
I agree with the idea that reconciliation takes work and is not easy. For a big picture view, check out the Anglican church of Canada: “Doctrine of Discovery: stolen lands, strong hearts” documentary online resourse. Inform and educate yourself on the issues of indigenous people and the environment.This is not an easily boiled down issue at all turns. Thought, patience, and action are all necessary.
I agree that individuals breaking the laws should be held accountable. Co-existence with indigenous people is not an easy fix.
Glad to listen to another point of view. I hope you are open to my thoughts too.
As a retired nurse, I am well aware of the structures in place to deal with the Coronavirus outbreak in Canada. Do not underestimate the behind the scenes science, medicine, and public health supports managing this. The government is not doing “nothing”. We do have decisive action.
I understand your fears, but a lot has been learned from the SARS outbreak. How much newscast on this subject do you need/want to be reassured? Take a breath.
Hugh, at the root this situation is a long list of complicated factors that take so much time to understand, that too many on both sides, jump to simplistic but ineffective political positions.
1. Exponential population growth – Too many people using too much of the wrong kinds of energy.
2. The complex detrimental effect this has on the earth’s climate that has been denied by too many for too long
3. Lack of realism about the time, effort and money to make the transition to clean energy
4. Canadas’s unique position as a responsible democracy with both old and new energy to spare for those that will become energy-starved during the transition.
5. Extreme and irrational positions taken by people on both sides of the debate.
6. The difficulty of reasoning with uninformed, misinformed and agitated people in protest groups.
7. An antiquated system of indigenous governance that may have had some success in 1620 but is clearly unrealistic and unworkable in 2020. First Nations must decide if they want dictatorship by unelected hereditary chiefs, democracy (majority rule by elected chiefs), or anarchy (nobody knows who is in charge). Those are the choices.
8. Polarization replacing responsible statesmanship in mainstream political parties.
All mainstream and indigenous political parties have contributed to this perfect storm and blaming each other will not solve it. No party has done a perfect job. Sheer lost the last election because he focused on insulting Trudeau rather than proposing viable and responsible solutions. Sheer is still doing that. Mackay is doing the same. To be fair, Trudeau did the same to Harper.
Some seem to suggest the government should resort to a 2020 War Measures Act to resolve the current situation. No doubt that could be done and we may get to that but jumping there without first making every effort toward peaceful resolution will not solve the underlying problems. But it will bring international condemnation and significant related consequences.
Hugh, I don’t know how much experience you have had dealing with strikes and blockades, but I have had more than I wanted, and I can tell you it is not fun. Sometimes you just have to let people vent their frustrations, before they cool their emotions and get down to sensible thinking that can actually resolve problems. Conservatives want more heavy-handed action now, and the NDP want less. Please, may the cool heads prevail.
Wow. Not an ounce of contrary opinion. Tough town. Much inflammatory anger-typing.
Rule of law, eh?! Been reading and learning specifics about history and law. Man, what we weren’t taught! Aboriginal land title is upheld by the Supreme Court, yet not actually recognized by action.
Can’t find: what charges are laid against demonstrators (what does the CN injunction state; I found words about blocking tracks and damaging equipment, which I understand did not occur)? I understand peaceful, public, non-disruptive protest is legal.
Can’t find: Why did CN and VIA not run trains slowly/carefully through the short section that had people beside the tracks? I’m for no disruption of business. Why was this decision made and held?
If you can help answer these questions, please type. If you have an unhelpful, factless, hyperbolic prepared anger blast, I wish you wouldn’t
Well, here here Hugh. Hx has a way of repeating itself; albeit from the P. E. T. page book: Then it was the Quebec FLQ terrorism, To now, J. T. ‘s allowing all of Canada to be held in economic pergatory by a few ecoterrorists holding both Canadian and Indigenous hostage to another message. What’s next, the W.M.A?
Now I see these idiots have set up roadblocks on the go train tracks in Hamilton. It’s time to put a stop to this once and for all. It’s awful that a few crazy people can disrupt thousands with no worry about being punished or going to jail. If these so called protesters think they are helping with the problems of the native people they better sit down and think again because all they are doing is making things worse and turning more and more people against them and that is not very fair but it’s the way things go just because we lump them all together and all we see is these crazy ones and they don’t seem to want to listen to anyone just want to be disruptive. There action has no effect on me personally but I don’t think they should be interrupting the lives of hundreds of people with no consequences time to put them in jail like anyone else that breaks the law.
The carbon tax is being implemented to keep the government from going insolvent when the Canadian economy grinds to a halt. To all my fellow Canadians who drank the koolaid and elected Justin Trudeau. I hope you sheeple are happy with your decision.
Stop the hand outs and make them work for money then they would have no time for protests.
“Time to replace Trudeau”
TTRT
What are we waiting for . Trudeau cannot lead.
Stop the hand outs and make them work for money then they would have no time for protests.
This has been the biggest failure in leadership from a prime minister in Canadian history. I am traveling abroad currently and have taken my Canadian flag tags off my bags…we are an embarrassment. No one I’ve spoken with can believe we allowed this to happen.
Getting tired of these professional protesters. We should have a registry for them, then we could see the names of these masked trouble makers who show up at every protest or rally across the country, no matter what the cause. Resume the trains. Lets see how committed they are in their lawn chairs on the tracks, waving flags, when they feel the rumble and hear the train horn!
The eco terrorists are the biggest bunch of hypocrites in Canada They run around complaining about oil and carbon but they still drive to all the protests and some fly back and forth across the country and green peace runs all over the world in ships that burn the dirtiest oil going and think they are saving the planet. Just to bad they would not stop give there head a good shake and wake up It will be years or maybe never that we can get along without oil in some form.
And The Lenghthy ones too , Tony. 5 years in ,we are still waiting for some Leadership from The PM all we got was facial hair . The Emperor has No Clothes !
Now Teck Resources pulled their project, which had passed EA’s and had indigenous support; it’s clear the Liberal cabinet was about to reject this project worth thousands of jobs. This government is broken. You can’t have environmental progress without jobs and economic growth. The ecoterrorists have this country by the short hairs
Thank you Hugh for stating the facts about this. It’s been going on far to long and should have been stopped right at the start. The whole thing is just a bunch of people who don’t stop to think and want to raise hell just for the fun of it. A plain bunch of hypocrites that complain about oil but were clothes made from oil and drive there trucks and cars every day and I’ll bet heat there homes with oil or a by product. But then try and stop Alberta from being able to get oil and gas to market. But they don’t refuse the hand out from Govt. that the extra tax money helps finance or the taxpayers that they put out of work with there protest. Maybe we should put up a blockade at all roads leading into the reservation not let anyone in or out for a few weeks and see if they like that.
Again, Hugh very well written and honest.
Quote: This is more like how an autocrat would react, refusing to listen to anyone who may not agree with him. It was astonishingly Trump-like in its execution.
Like father like son!
We have the blockades, Coronavirus, pipeline problems. Whats Trudeau doing, right now not much.
Then theirs the coronavirus. This should be on Trudeaus mind right now.
We are talking life and death are we not?
I do not fear the virus or the blockades. I do fear our do nothing governments.
Lets see what tomorrow brings.
Without Prejudice.