BY HUGH HOLLAND
Prime Minister Mark Carney faces an unprecedented and complicated balancing act both internally and externally.
Internally, he faces separatist movements in both Alberta and Quebec. Former Alberta Premier Jason Kenney drew on words he said former Quebec Premier Francois Legault told him about why he left the separatist cause behind in his province to lead a federalist party.
“He realized for six decades Quebec wasted its political energy and that of its elites, focused on an internal political civil war instead of growing their economy, focusing on prosperity,” Kenney said.
“His message was, why would you replicate in Alberta what we failed at in Quebec, which was turning in on ourselves and wasting our resources, our time, and our energy on this internal dispute, as opposed to focusing on growth and productivity.”
Carney has approved a new pipeline to help reduce Alberta separatist feelings and the looming global shortage of oil as US reserves approach depletion in the next 5 to 10 years, provided Alberta agrees to cut emissions from oil production, Canada’s biggest source of emissions. That deal will initially increase emissions from the new one million barrels per day, but ultimately reduce emissions from Canada’s overall 6 million barrels per day of oil production. Internally, Canada still can and should move to replace fossil fuels with efficient renewable energy ASAP.
Externally, Canada’s biggest threats come from Trump’s unprecedented efforts to recruit Alberta oil separatists and to use tariff pressure to move business directly from Canada to the US.
Carney spent 14 busy months making deals with other countries and building the position from which a good treaty with the US becomes possible: the EV and potash deals with China that will help Ontario, Quebec, and Saskatchewan; the deal to supply LNG from BC to Germany; and the Swedish defence equipment contracts.
Trump faces a wipeout in the midterm elections because Americans are increasingly upset by rapid price increases resulting from his tariffs on products from Canada and many other countries. Last month, at the influential Economic Club of New York, Carney said: ”Canada Strong will make America great again.” He appeared to be following the philosophy of Otto Von Bismarck, the quiet but brilliant German strategist who said, “DIPLOMACY IS THE ART OF LETTING OTHERS HAVE YOUR WAY.”
Hugh Holland is a retired engineering and manufacturing executive now living in Huntsville, Ontario.
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Hugh I think Carney is following another Great German leader who said “The masses have little time to think, and how incredible is the willingness of the modern man to believe.” That was one of Hitler’s great beliefs.
His teachings were used by the Japanese, and much of Europe in almost ruling the world. Hitler’s New World Order, almost.
What stayed with me in Hugh’s article was Jason Kenney’s observation about political energy.
Whether it’s Quebec in the past, Alberta today, or even Canada more broadly, there is a real question about how much time and effort a society spends looking inward versus building outward. Internal battles can consume enormous amounts of attention, often at the expense of growth, productivity, infrastructure, trade, and opportunity.
What I find interesting about the current moment is that Canada seems to be trying to focus on the latter. Not because every policy is perfect, but because the world isn’t standing still while we argue with ourselves. There are markets to build, partnerships to strengthen, infrastructure to modernize, and opportunities to pursue.
A country only has so much political energy. The question isn’t whether disagreements exist. They always will. The question is where we choose to direct our attention once we’ve had them.
Canadians can still comment on the proposed “One Canadian Economy” by July 22 – a discussion paper that will become legislation in the autumn. Disconcertingly it proposes to give cabinet ministers powers to permit large projects in the “national Interest” to begin construction without environmental assessment completion, override jeopardy of species at risk etc. The sweeping powers also ignore any authentic engagement with Indigenous people and treaty rights holders, as it was announced without consultation. I understand that Alberta’s Oil and Gas industry is being placated for “national unity” but there is no balance to commit to promote investment in renewables, and clean energy that will be the real economic future infrastructure as the rest of the globe ramps up to avoid dependence on unstable sourcing and costly fossil fuels. Canada is banking on significantly reduced emissions by oil and gas and the unlikely carbon capture project. Taxpayers will again be paying for pipelines and roads to enrich international and American corporations. And good bye to natural beauty and the underestimated economic value of it to our lives in Canada. So I ask where is the attempt at “balance”
Thank you, Mr. Holland. Carney and government do not have a cake-walk to CanUS trade agreement by any means.
In the meantime, to those who fully engage in our voluntary Boycott of anything we can US- Keep it going. Elbows up! Congrats to those purchasing Canadian made vehicles too! And buy Canadian, as much as possible. Honestly, it “feels” good”.