Sask. shows signs of post-election western alienation, but many seem willing to give Carney a chance
With the federal election a few days behind us, western alienation is already creeping into the political discussion in Saskatchewan.
Premier Scott Moe posted a video on social media Tuesday vowing to work with Prime Minister Mark Carney and the federal Liberals, but the post garnered backlash and calls for western separation from some Saskatchewan people.
WATCH |
CBC talked to people on the streets of Saskatoon on Wednesday to see if these sentiments were shared by all. Some people agreed that the Prairies have been undervalued.
"Alberta's got a lot of oil and Saskatchewan's got a lot of wheat and agriculture. Those are critical to the country both domestically and internationally," Rob Soze said. "It seems like those provinces are kind of forgotten about in the grand scheme of things."
But most of the people CBC spoke to seemed more willing to give the new Liberal government a chance.
"We have a different Liberal government with different leadership who is kind of solid, and he's standing up to Trump," Dave Boykochukski said. "I think that's what Canada wants right now."
Jeremy Welter, who farms canola in west-central Saskatchewan, agreed that the Liberal government seems to cater more to eastern provinces.
"There were some things that happened where people out west were to a greater or lesser extent overlooked, and I think agriculture is certainly one of the biggest ones," Welter said.
Welter is among many farmers hit hard by canola tariffs. He said it feels like the federal government may be putting more effort into fighting for the auto industry than the agriculture industry.
Despite what he may have seen in the past, Welter said he's cautiously optimistic the Carney government is negotiating these tariffs behind closed doors. He just hopes more of an emphasis is placed on the importance of Prairie exports.
"We don't have a national plan for our export commodities," Welter said.
"Regardless of if we're talking about canola or wheat or steel, if we don't have a plan to get our commodities out to the market and out to the rest of the world, the value of us producing them very quickly evaporates."
Welter went on to say that, financially and socially, separating the west from the rest of Canada would do more harm than good.
As the discourse around separation continues in Alberta and Saskatchewan, it's not clear whether some people are simply looking for a place to vent their frustrations or actually seeking real change.
Loleen Berdahl, a professor of political studies at the University of Saskatchewan, said that while the separatist movement has always existed in Western Canada, it has ramped up in recent years.
Berdahl said that's partly due to rhetoric from Alberta Premier Danielle Smith and a lack of Saskatchewan voices in the governing federal party.
"The lack of strong provincial and regional voices in the federal cabinet in federal policymaking can be an issue," Berdahl said. "In the last Trudeau liberal government there was no representation from Saskatchewan, because all the MPs were Conservative."
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
5 hours ago
- Yahoo
N.B. rent cap will remain at 3% for another year, minister says
New Brunswick's rent cap, introduced after the Liberals won last fall, will remain at three per cent for the 2025-2026 fiscal year, Housing Minister David Hickey announced in the legislature Wednesday. "We've seen vacancy rates largely stay the same," Hickey said when asked by reporters why he came to his decision. The cap means landlords cannot increase rent more than three per cent annually. Landlords are allowed to increase rent up to nine per cent if they apply to the province and prove the increases are needed because of renovations to a their units. When the rent cap was put in place, there was no expiration date, although the percentage is reviewed every year. Several loopholes that critics have pointed out, including that the cap isn't tied to a unit, will remain. This means landlords cannot raise rents on tenants renewing their leases, but if a tenant moves out, nothing stops a landlord from increasing the rent for the next tenant. Landlords can also use a fixed-term lease to increase rent. When a lease ends on an agreed-upon date, the landlord can change the price in the new agreement, regardless of the cap. When asked why this wasn't addressed, Hickey said the current rent cap has shown a "stabilization" of rent prices in the province, "and that's why we think that there's a need to continue it at its current level over the next year." WATCH | Housing minister says rents in the province are stabilizing: Hickey said looking into that question will be part of a larger review of the Residential Tenancies Act — the legislation that lays out rules for renters and landlords — starting in the fall. He said the review will ensure the act "is reflective of the actual market conditions and reflective of what it actually means to be a renter in New Brunswick." "Many landlords can be incredibly creative when it comes to getting their money," said Nichola Taylor, chair of ACORN New Brunswick, a tenants' advocacy group. "So we need to make sure that these loopholes are closed and that tenants have better protections in this province." She said the cap has brought stability and been a "breath of fresh air" for renters, but she's also looking forward to the fall review. When asked why the province hasn't gone ahead with promised property tax reform, Hickey said landlords would appreciate the province's proposal to freeze property tax assessments for 2026 as a move to help with stability. But New Brunswick Apartment Owners Association president Willy Scholten said he was concerned about municipal property taxes increasing, despite the provincial assessment freeze and rent cap, because it risks "throwing everything completely out of balance." Scholten also said he disagrees with the idea of tying the rent cap to a unit, because landlords "have a great deal of cost" associated with turning over a unit between tenants. The association has been talking to Hickey, and Scholten said he hopes to be at the table in the fall as well. Interim Progressive Conservative Leader Glen Savoie was quick to question the announcement. "The government has said that they want to deal with housing" Savoie said to reporters. "Are there more people or less people unhoused now? Have the actions of this government improved the situation?" "I would argue that they're not making the headway that they're trying to promote, and we should make sure the situation is something that's really looked after rather than talking points and things that they're trying to do." Under the Blaine Higgs government, a temporary cap on increases was implemented in 2022, but this ended in 2023. Other measures were put in place instead, including a rent bank and an option for some rent increases to be phased in if they exceeded the inflation rate. Green MLA Megan Mitton told reporters she was glad to see the rent cap still in place and that she hopes it remains permanent. "I do think it's needed to preserve what affordable housing we do have left." She said she'd like to see the rent cap tied to units and hopes this will be included in the fall review.
New York Times
6 hours ago
- New York Times
Live Updates: Court Will Consider Trump's Use of Troops as Immigration Protests Spread
California liberals welcomed Gov. Gavin Newsom's speech condemning President Trump, but some remained skeptical of the governor. Republicans, meanwhile, saw his address as opportunistic and blamed him for the state's turmoil. For months, Californians weren't sure what to make of Gov. Gavin Newsom. There was the new podcast on which he interviewed right-wing influencers and said he felt trans athletes shouldn't participate in women's sports. There was the meeting in February with President Trump in the White House. And there were occasional snipes at Republicans, but nothing like those Mr. Newsom had dished out in years past. Then came a blistering nine-minute speech on Tuesday in which Mr. Newsom warned Americans that Mr. Trump was destroying democracy and acting as an authoritarian who would eventually send the military to states across the country. Many liberals in California cheered Mr. Newsom, finally seeing in him the leader of the resistance that they had been missing. Those feeling confused and fearful since Mr. Trump started his second term were looking for someone to stick up for them and said they appreciated Mr. Newsom's forcefulness. 'In a time of rising fear and growing threats to democracy, he spoke not just as a governor, but as a moral leader,' said Representative Lateefah Simon, Democrat of California. 'He named the danger plainly.' But others, while supportive of his message, were not entirely convinced. They said testing the political climate ahead of a potential run for president. 'Even if you're late to the party, you know, welcome to the fight,' said Hugo Soto-Martinez, a progressive City Council member in Los Angeles, who appreciated what Mr. Newsom said but wished the governor had stood up to the president sooner. Adrian Tirtanadi, executive director of Open Door Legal, a nonprofit which provides free legal representation for immigrants and others, said he liked all of the words in Mr. Newsom's speech. But, he said, he wondered why the governor was not backing up the rhetoric with more financial support for immigration lawyers who could fight deportation. Big talk without much action, Mr. Tirtanadi said, is often the California way. Still, others appreciated that Mr. Newsom had demanded that Mr. Trump stop workplace raids and filed lawsuits seeking to block the deployment of National Guard troops and Marines in Southern California. That has given some hope to immigrants who have felt powerless. When David Campos was 14, he and his family traveled by foot and by bus, across deserts and over mountains, to California from their home in Guatemala. They scurried under a border fence and settled in South Central Los Angeles without legal papers. The family eventually obtained citizenship through his father's carpentry job. Mr. Campos went on to Stanford University and Harvard Law School, served on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors and is now the vice chairman of the California Democratic Party. Mr. Campos said he was glad that Mr. Newsom, the former San Francisco mayor with whom he sometimes clashed, took a defiant stance toward Mr. Trump. 'I'm glad he's rising to this moment,' Mr. Campos, 54, said in an interview. 'The governor reminded us that if the president can do this in California, he can do it anywhere in this country. That's how a democracy can die.' Republicans in California, many of whom have aligned with President Trump, said they were decidedly unimpressed with the governor's speech. Senator Brian Jones, the State Senate minority leader, said that the governor seemed to have been filming an early campaign commercial with his speech, from the way the flags were set in his backdrop to the suit he was wearing. 'It doesn't do anything to lower tensions in L.A.,' Mr. Jones said. 'When he says we all need to stand up, is he encouraging more people to show up to the riots and participate?' James Gallagher, the Republican leader of the California State Assembly, called the governor's address 'self-righteous political posturing.' Mr. Gallagher said California's policy of preventing local law enforcement from working with federal immigration officials created the current tension. He said he found it funny that Mr. Newsom was accusing Mr. Trump of being authoritarian when the governor ordered Californians to close their businesses, stay home from church, attend school on Zoom, wear masks and get vaccinated during the Covid-19 pandemic. 'He was a total tyrant, and he has no business talking about authoritarianism because he is exhibit A,' Mr. Gallagher said. Mr. Newsom's speech, as well as his sharp-tongued retorts to Republicans on social media this week, won some plaudits from younger influencers. Dwayne Murphy, Jr., a 34-year-old content creator who lives in Downey, Calif., and said he votes Democrat, said he appreciated that the governor 'seems to be hyper-focused on standing up for this state at a time like this, and I feel like that's what people are very encouraged by.' Inkiad Kabir, 20, a pop culture content creator who lives in the Inland Empire region of California, said that Mr. Newsom was the rare Democrat willing to go on the attack, calling him 'basically liberal Trump, in a way.' Mr. Kabir created a popular TikTok video this week in which he called the governor 'Daddy Newsom' and likened the governor to a 'toxic ex that you promise you're not going to go back to, but you always go back to.' For now, it seems, Mr. Kabir has gone back.
New York Times
10 hours ago
- New York Times
Live Updates: Police Clear Protesters in Seattle, Las Vegas and L.A.
California liberals welcomed Gov. Gavin Newsom's speech condemning President Trump, but some remained skeptical of the governor. Republicans, meanwhile, saw his address as opportunistic and blamed him for the state's turmoil. For months, Californians weren't sure what to make of Gov. Gavin Newsom. There was the new podcast on which he interviewed right-wing influencers and said he felt trans athletes shouldn't participate in women's sports. There was the meeting in February with President Trump in the White House. And there were occasional snipes at Republicans, but nothing like those Mr. Newsom had dished out in years past. Then came a blistering nine-minute speech on Tuesday in which Mr. Newsom warned Americans that Mr. Trump was destroying democracy and acting as an authoritarian who would eventually send the military to states across the country. Many liberals in California cheered Mr. Newsom, finally seeing in him the leader of the resistance that they had been missing. Those feeling confused and fearful since Mr. Trump started his second term were looking for someone to stick up for them and said they appreciated Mr. Newsom's forcefulness. 'In a time of rising fear and growing threats to democracy, he spoke not just as a governor, but as a moral leader,' said Representative Lateefah Simon, Democrat of California. 'He named the danger plainly.' But others, while supportive of his message, were not entirely convinced. They said testing the political climate ahead of a potential run for president. 'Even if you're late to the party, you know, welcome to the fight,' said Hugo Soto-Martinez, a progressive City Council member in Los Angeles, who appreciated what Mr. Newsom said but wished the governor had stood up to the president sooner. Adrian Tirtanadi, executive director of Open Door Legal, a nonprofit which provides free legal representation for immigrants and others, said he liked all of the words in Mr. Newsom's speech. But, he said, he wondered why the governor was not backing up the rhetoric with more financial support for immigration lawyers who could fight deportation. Big talk without much action, Mr. Tirtanadi said, is often the California way. Still, others appreciated that Mr. Newsom had demanded that Mr. Trump stop workplace raids and filed lawsuits seeking to block the deployment of National Guard troops and Marines in Southern California. That has given some hope to immigrants who have felt powerless. When David Campos was 14, he and his family traveled by foot and by bus, across deserts and over mountains, to California from their home in Guatemala. They scurried under a border fence and settled in South Central Los Angeles without legal papers. The family eventually obtained citizenship through his father's carpentry job. Mr. Campos went on to Stanford University and Harvard Law School, served on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors and is now the vice chairman of the California Democratic Party. Mr. Campos said he was glad that Mr. Newsom, the former San Francisco mayor with whom he sometimes clashed, took a defiant stance toward Mr. Trump. 'I'm glad he's rising to this moment,' Mr. Campos, 54, said in an interview. 'The governor reminded us that if the president can do this in California, he can do it anywhere in this country. That's how a democracy can die.' Republicans in California, many of whom have aligned with President Trump, said they were decidedly unimpressed with the governor's speech. Senator Brian Jones, the State Senate minority leader, said that the governor seemed to have been filming an early campaign commercial with his speech, from the way the flags were set in his backdrop to the suit he was wearing. 'It doesn't do anything to lower tensions in L.A.,' Mr. Jones said. 'When he says we all need to stand up, is he encouraging more people to show up to the riots and participate?' James Gallagher, the Republican leader of the California State Assembly, called the governor's address 'self-righteous political posturing.' Mr. Gallagher said California's policy of preventing local law enforcement from working with federal immigration officials created the current tension. He said he found it funny that Mr. Newsom was accusing Mr. Trump of being authoritarian when the governor ordered Californians to close their businesses, stay home from church, attend school on Zoom, wear masks and get vaccinated during the Covid-19 pandemic. 'He was a total tyrant, and he has no business talking about authoritarianism because he is exhibit A,' Mr. Gallagher said. Mr. Newsom's speech, as well as his sharp-tongued retorts to Republicans on social media this week, won some plaudits from younger influencers. Dwayne Murphy, Jr., a 34-year-old content creator who lives in Downey, Calif., and said he votes Democrat, said he appreciated that the governor 'seems to be hyper-focused on standing up for this state at a time like this, and I feel like that's what people are very encouraged by.' Inkiad Kabir, 20, a pop culture content creator who lives in the Inland Empire region of California, said that Mr. Newsom was the rare Democrat willing to go on the attack, calling him 'basically liberal Trump, in a way.' Mr. Kabir created a popular TikTok video this week in which he called the governor 'Daddy Newsom' and likened the governor to a 'toxic ex that you promise you're not going to go back to, but you always go back to.' For now, it seems, Mr. Kabir has gone back.
