Horgan-Trudeau bromance serves up more shrugs than hugs from politicos
Credit to Author: Stephen Snelgrove| Date: Sat, 14 Sep 2019 00:56:06 +0000
VICTORIA — With the formal start of the federal election fast approaching, Premier John Horgan recently joined Prime Minister Justin Trudeau for what they billed as a $680 million commitment to electrify natural gas production in B.C.
But politically, the Aug. 29 event had more to do with Trudeau’s tour of critical battlegrounds in the run up to this week’s issuing of the election writ.
The memorandum of agreement between Victoria and Ottawa was neither ironclad nor urgent.
The three-page text mainly saw the two governments acknowledge “the importance of supporting the electrification of the natural gas sector in British Columbia.”
They agreed to a joint committee to “advance electrification” via a “clean facilities fund,” two specific projects in the northeast, and “other natural gas electrification opportunities.”
The committee will also “improve cross-government co-ordination” and “consider alternative financing models” and other high-minded things.
As for the headline-making funding commitment, the text said only that the two “are currently examining $680 million in near-term electrification projects for joint funding.”
It came with this caveat: “Subject to necessary financial approvals by each participant.”
No word on the funding split. But when the two governments signed an earlier electrification deal in April, B.C. Hydro put up $205 million or about 70 per cent, the federal government the remaining $84 million or 30 per cent.
Nor is the latest partnership in any rush to get things done: “The participants will each work to support the projects identified in this memorandum within five years.” Meaning just in time for the federal election after this one.
There was also an escape clause: “Either participant may discontinue their participation in this memorandum by giving the other participant notice in writing.”
So the supposed $680 million commitment was not exactly of the take-it-to-the bank variety.
Still, Premier Horgan was happy to play along at the announcement in Surrey.
“It’s this type of collaboration that I think BCers and Canadians expect from the different orders of government in Canada,” he declared while federal and provincial politicians looked on.
“Others have chosen a path of confrontation,” Horgan continued, not mentioning any other provincial premiers by name. “The prime minister and I have chosen, instead, a path of consultation and consensus.
“I’m proud to be able to do that. And it is delightful to announce and to introduce the Prime Minister of Canada, Justin Trudeau.”
The two leaders then hugged, which image made the television coverage amid references to what was billed as a “bromance.”
Trudeau went with the flow in fine form.
“Whenever I sit down with John, I’m reminded how much progress can be made for middle-class Canadians when forward-thinking governments work together,” the prime minister reciprocated.
“Thank you, John, for your leadership, your partnership and your friendship over these past years. We’ve been able to get big things done.”
Not neglecting the opportunity to do a little politicking, Trudeau then endorsed several federal Liberal MPs who soon would be campaigning for re-election. He also took a shot at his own main rival, Conservative leader Andrew Scheer.
One bit of timing that didn’t escape notice in the media coverage entailed the national leader of the NDP, Jagmeet Singh.
For while the party’s provincial leader was sharing the platform with his pal Justin, Singh was that every evening scheduled to be nominated to run re-election in Burnaby South.
Horgan and his staff should have been aware of the potential embarrassment of the national leader. The NDP is a single party, federal and provincial, unlike the Liberals and Greens.
When Singh was asked that evening about Horgan’s platform- and promise-sharing with Trudeau, I gather he sidestepped the question.
Any comment on his part would have drawn attention to speculation that some provincial New Democrats were already contemplating a vote for Trudeau to reduce the chance of a Scheer-led government.
One who did take notice of the Horgan-Trudeau announcement was B.C. Green leader Andrew Weaver.
He half accused his partner in power sharing, Horgan, of green washing federal and provincial funding to prop up fossil fuel production.
“British Columbians are looking for leadership that is supporting the industries of tomorrow, not the dinosaurs of yesterday,” said Weaver via press release.
“With this massive subsidy, the New Democrats are investing in the very industries whose practices have contributed to the climate change crisis.
“We should seize the opportunity to be a global leader in building a clean, vibrant economy based on new industries that aren’t the source of climate change. Instead we are asked to celebrate that we may slightly reduce the pollution coming from our oil and gas sector, even as it continues to grow. I know we can do better.”
Still, when the provincial legislature sits next month, he and the provincial Greens intend to go on supporting the NDP, as they have done for two years.
With that exchange as a prelude, B.C. now finds itself part of a national election campaign, where New Democrats, Greens and Liberals are expected to fighting over the same progressive turf in some ridings.
But as has been observed many times, British Columbian voters inhabit different political worlds when voting in federal and provincial elections.
Indeed one of the more insightful books about politics in this province, written by political scientist Don Blake and two colleagues at UBC, made much of the distinction in voting patterns.
It was called “Two Political Worlds.”
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