Bloc Québécois Leader Yves-François Blanchet seems to have a bounce in his step these days.
Doubtlessly, it has to do with his party’s better-than-expected performance in the recent federal election. The 32 seats that the Bloc won in Quebec have given it some clout in this Parliament, which may explain the scent of hubris that follows the separatist leader everywhere he goes.
It was certainly evident in the Bloc Leader’s meeting with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau this week. By the time he’d finished a round of media interviews, he had the entire province of Alberta seething. And it’s easy to understand why.
Mr. Blanchet was asked about anger in Alberta and Saskatchewan, a fury that has incited talk of separatism. He suggested provincial leaders from the two provinces were using the ire and resentment of their citizens to force the government’s hand on pipelines.
“And on that issue, my enthusiasm is obviously very limited,” he said. He expanded on those remarks, saying that any attempts to create “an oil state” in Western Canada would receive no support from his party in Ottawa.
It didn’t take long for word to travel on the jungle telegraph to Alberta and the office of Premier Jason Kenney. If Mr. Blanchet was so opposed to Alberta oil, why was Quebec so keen on taking money (through equalization) generated by oil workers (through their federal taxes)? “You cannot have your cake and eat it too,” said Mr. Kenney.
Of course, Mr. Blanchet had to respond, saying he’d do whatever he wanted with his cake, adding, “I think he can, as far as I’m concerned, have his own oil and do whatever he wants with it.”
It’s tempting to dismiss Mr. Blanchet’s comments as coming from someone with no real power because he’s not a provincial leader. Fair enough. Still, it is the rank hypocrisy of Quebec politicians like Mr. Blanchet and Premier François Legault that I find so troublesome. Mr. Legault has also been critical of Alberta crude, calling it “dirty energy” and declaring, “Quebec’s not into tar sands oil and Alberta pipelines.”
Except it is.
Right now, that so-called “dirty” oil is Quebec’s top source of crude. In 2017, 44 per cent of the province’s crude oil came from Western Canada, up from less than 1 per cent in 2012. And some does come from the oil sands that Quebec politicians love to criticize.
Imagine what would happen if Alberta cut off that supply tomorrow. What would happen in Quebec? Let’s hope we never have to find out.
And then on top of that, you have the fact that Alberta contributes roughly $1.8-billion of the more than $13-billion in transfer payments that Quebec will receive this year. That’s not chump change.
You could argue that by responding to Mr. Blanchet’s statements, Mr. Kenney took the bait, providing the separatist leader exactly what he was hoping for. However, I would suggest that the Alberta Premier was just sticking up for his citizens and calling out the Bloc leader for being an insensitive blowhard.
No, Mr. Blanchet and Mr. Legault don’t have to like pipelines and crude from the oil sands – even if they don’t mind using it to run the province – but you would think that somewhere inside their souls they could find some empathy for the predicament in which Alberta and its energy workers find themselves. Tens of thousands have lost their jobs, and Mr. Blanchet seemingly couldn’t care less.
This at a time when Quebec, thanks in large part to the billions in transfer payments it gets annually, is riding high. The economy is humming along, and the province’s books look pretty good. Deficit? What’s a deficit? And good for Quebec.
But damn, if I was an out-of-work oil hand in Alberta reading Mr. Blanchet’s comments, I would be infuriated. And those who think his statements aren’t fuelling the rage and talk of separatism inside Alberta are fooling themselves. Just imagine the indignation in Quebec if the script was flipped and a leader from the West flippantly dismissed the fallout from a suffering economy in that province.
There would be people marching in the streets. With Quebec politicians leading the way.
I don’t expect Mr. Blanchet to be a cheerleader for any Canadian province. That’s not his job. But I do expect him to exhibit a little compassion for fellow human beings who are hurting.
He had every right to be called out for his remarks.
Keep your Opinions sharp and informed. Get the Opinion newsletter. Sign up today.
Gary Mason