Nelson: Carney will feel Alberta's pain in trying to build 'national' projects
Mark Carney is about to feel Alberta's pain.
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Fittingly, it's the legacy of Justin Trudeau that will open our new prime minister's eyes to the sheer frustration this province has felt for the past decade. That's because it appears Carney is sincere in his much-ballyhooed promise to fast-track industrial development across Canada.
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Even Premier Danielle Smith is giving him the benefit of the doubt, for now at least, following this week's meeting between the prime minister and the country's premiers.
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In a joint statement, the group agreed on the criteria for what would constitute a project as being in the national interest, and, glory be, the word 'pipelines' was spoken aloud.
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'We will very quickly move into the summer to refine that list. As more private proponents become aware of the opportunity here, we're going to see more projects coming forward,' was Carney's summation of this national agreement.
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However, this get-it-done enthusiasm lasted barely 24 hours before Indigenous leaders threw cold water on the plan, saying any national project must include Indigenous consultation. We can't go around building stuff if it might, potentially, disturb sacred land or threaten treaty rights.
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Did we really expect anything different? Although, perhaps Carney is a tad surprised, being somewhat new to the game.
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These sentiments were allowed to flourish to such an extent under Trudeau that Canadians became collectively branded as genocidal, allowing the United Nations to have a field day lambasting our country for its dreadful record on Indigenous rights. Such global condemnation was manna for Trudeau, a man who salivated at any opportunity to apologize to everyone, everywhere, for everything — other than for his own behaviour, of course.
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Lawsuits flew as the billions were subsequently doled out, while victimhood became our national pastime. Heaven help anyone asking a simple question regarding the veracity underpinning this relentless but lucrative blame game. Such innocents were immediately declared guilty of a new crime: denialism.
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But just because the facilitator outstayed his prime ministerial welcome didn't mean the flavour of his reign dissipated along with him. No, it's as fervent as ever, something Carney is discovering.
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On May 30, Assembly of First Nations National Chief Cindy Woodhouse Nepinak wrote that Carney's fast-track plan 'suggests a serious threat to First Nations' exercise of treaty rights, inherent rights, title and jurisdiction.'
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