On John Horgan’s softwood trip, worries about absence during B.C. wildfires

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John Horgan's team feared the optics of the B.C. Premier leaving the province during the summer's wildfire crisis to make his first key trip to Ottawa and Washington, according to government documents obtained by The Globe and Mail.

During the four-day trip in July, Mr. Horgan went to visit Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in Ottawa, and then to Washington to make the B.C. case with U.S. lawmakers and others for a softwood deal – an issue that will loom well into 2018 as Canada and the United States remain far apart on reaching any trade agreement.

A briefing note on what is described as the "Softwood Trip," obtained through an Access to Information request, raises concerns about "potential issues" with the visit, listing "wildfires and the Premier's absence during this time."

Mr. Horgan's July 24-27 trip came as British Columbia was dealing with a wildfire crisis that forced tens of thousands of residents out of their homes. On July 7, the province declared a state of emergency, which lasted until Sept. 15.

In the end, Mr. Horgan proceeded with his travel itinerary, though the briefing note raises concerns about "several competing issues" in the visit leading to a "density of message."

The briefing material notes that the United States is the top market for B.C. softwood lumber, with the forestry sector supporting more than 65,000 jobs in the province.

The release of documents provides a sweeping overview of logistics – including restaurant dining options in Washington – briefing notes, speaking notes and other planning for the trip.

Summing it up, the briefing note says the Premier was travelling to Ottawa to meet with the Prime Minister to discuss wildfires, softwood, the opioid crisis, infrastructure and child care; "then on to D.C. to directly fight for a fair deal for B.C."

According to the documents, the Premier gave Mr. Trudeau a gift of socks "with Dogwood on them," presumably referring to the B.C. tree and the province's floral emblem. The Prime Minister has been known for wearing attention-getting socks as a fashion statement.

The "pillar" for the trip is labelled, "Building a sustainable economy that works for everyone." And the "main message" that Mr. Horgan's team sought to convey is outlined: "We've hit the ground running. Premier Horgan's first actions were to head to Ottawa and Washington to fight for B.C.'s interest."

While stating that "we're working for people," Mr. Horgan's team emphasizes that "we need to keep driving the contrast with the BC Liberals – they're just in it for the people at the top."

Mr. Horgan's visit to Ottawa coincided with Pacific NorthWest LNG's announcement on July 25 that it had cancelled its proposed terminal to export liquefied natural gas from British Columbia. Under the heading "known issues and our lines on them," the Premier's team suggested this response to the cancellation of the project led by Malaysia's state-owned Petronas: "The global downturn in the energy marketplace has created economic challenges for the LNG industry. Today's news from Petronas reflects that reality. The marketplace is challenging everywhere, not just in B.C."

The B.C. delegation included David Emerson, B.C.'s trade envoy on the softwood file; Jason Fisher, associate deputy minister in the Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations; Geoff Meggs, the Premier's chief of staff; and Sheena McConnell, the Premier's press secretary.

The trip came soon after Mr. Horgan became Premier – the result of an agreement with the NDP and BC Green Party, with more seats combined than the BC Liberals.

Heading into a meeting with Mr. Trudeau, a meeting note offers Mr. Horgan "confidential advice," including praise for the Prime Minister's team on the file. The softwood portion of the note refers to Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland; David MacNaughton, Canada's ambassador to the United States; and Wilbur Ross, the U.S. Secretary of Commerce. "Suggested messages: Commend the efforts put forward by Minister Freeland and Ambassador MacNaughton to work with Secretary Ross toward a negotiated solution."

Other suggested advice on the opioid crisis, wildfires and disaster assistance and other subjects, including child care, were redacted.

The BC NDP ran in the spring election on a platform that included a commitment to launch a program of daycare costing $10 a day.

Mr. Horgan has been seeking support from Mr. Trudeau's government to help cover the cost of the program, but also said B.C. will proceed with the plan without federal support if necessary. Further details on the program are likely coming next year, particularly with the B.C. budget in February.

The B.C. delegation took Air Canada connecting flights from Victoria to Vancouver to Ottawa on July 24, and also flew Air Canada from Ottawa to Washington on July 25. On the return leg on July 27, Mr. Horgan and his team took Alaska Airlines from Washington to Seattle to Victoria.