The recent passage of two controversial bills in the House of Commons sets the stage for a critical and likely bitter fight between the Justin Trudeau Liberals and the Jason Kenney UCP during the upcoming federal election campaign.
According to the prime minister, Bills C-48 and C-69 are good for Canada’s environment and long-term economic prosperity, while Premier Kenney argues that both pieces of legislation will be ruinous to Alberta’s economy and future prosperity.
Whether either side will be able to convince the other to give way remains to be seen. Nevertheless, Alberta residents and communities both urban and rural certainly have a great deal riding on the outcome of the upcoming battle over the legislation.
For his part, Premier Kenney says C-69 and C-48 are in fact so bad for Alberta that his government plans to move forward with several pieces of counter legislation, including the Alberta Senate Election Act, which he says would make federal senators from this province more accountable to residents here.
“The passage of these two bills not only undermines Canada’s economy but also the Canadian federation,” said Kenney. “Their passage brings us closer to moving forward with a referendum on a constitutional amendment to eliminate equalization from the Canadian Constitution.
“If Albertans cannot develop our resources within the federation, then we should not be expected to pay the bills in the federation.”
For his part, Prime Minister Trudeau calls both pieces of legislation good for all provinces.
“It is all about making sure that we improve the process that failed under the Conservatives and under Stephen Harper,” said Trudeau. “They didn’t work on environmental responsibility. Creating a process that creates certainty is an integral part of being successful in resource development. We are going to move forward.”
With neither Kenney or Trudeau likely to give an inch on C-69 or C-48, it will be up to the electorate from coast-to-coast to decide this fall whether the legislation will move forward or be repealed by a non-Liberal government.
Dan Singleton is the Mountain View Gazette editor.
