Skip to main content
opinion

There’s a story Jason Kenney enjoys telling on the rubber-chicken circuit in Alberta these days that is being particularly well-received.

It begins with the leader of the United Conservative Party denouncing the federal government and politicians in Quebec for effectively sticking a dagger in the Energy East pipeline project, while continuing to accept tankers full of oil from unscrupulous foreign regimes whose industries are subject to little or no environmental oversight. And he uses the point to segue into an account of a cement plant in Quebec’s Gaspé Peninsula that, a few years ago, received an exemption from environmental review.

This, despite the fact that it would spew nearly two million tonnes of CO2 emissions a year into the atmosphere – vastly eclipsing the discharge levels of many oil sands operations in Fort McMurray. The plant received $400-million in provincial subsidies, Mr. Kenney tells his audience, a portion of which, he surmises, came from the $11-billion in equalization payments Quebec receives annually, the largest percentage of which is contributed by his province.

In other words, Alberta is helping to subsidize this plant, too!

“And it gets better,” the former federal Conservative cabinet minister says. “The guy who owns the cement plant is the chairman and largest shareholder of Bombardier.” It is here the crowd often gasps and Mr. Kenney pauses for effect.

“I’m sorry,” he says. “I can’t make this up.”

“Yes, Bombardier,” he continues, “who we subsidize to produce planes that burn oil and produce CO2 emissions which are not subject to regulation. Ladies and gentleman, this is becoming cloud cuckoo land.” Mr. Kenney finishes by telling the assembled that when he becomes premier he will fight against this type of duplicity, fight against a federal government and provinces that take from Alberta with one hand, and whack it with the other.

Cue the standing ovation.

Mr. Kenney’s story is mostly an accurate one. The plant he talks about was owned by Quebec’s Beaudoin family, who are synonymous with Bombardier, but it was taken over by the Canadian pension fund Caisse de dépot et placement du Québec in 2016. The factory did not get a $400-million subsidy, but did benefit from a $250-million government loan and received another $100-million from the province for an equity share in the operation as well as $100-million from the provincial pension plan for a stake.

Still, the yarn serves as an illustration of the double standard that exists in this country when it comes to Alberta generally, and its oil in particular.

Like many politicians, Mr. Kenney doesn’t let facts get in the way of a good tale, especially if it helps him make a broader point. And if it helps undermine a Liberal government in Ottawa that he loathes, all the better. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is not a popular man in Alberta these days, with approval numbers lower than those suffered by his father after introducing the disastrous National Energy Program in the early 1980s.

Mr. Kenney is tapping into that sentiment. Albertans feel betrayed by Ottawa. Even if the Trans Mountain Pipeline expansion goes through, Mr. Trudeau won’t get much credit for it now. People hate the carbon tax and blame him for it as much as NDP Premier Rachel Notley. They see special rules for Quebec when it comes to the environment and associate that fact with the federal Liberals as well.

“In the past year, I have heard more expressions of support for Western or Alberta separatism than I’ve heard in my whole life,” Mr. Kenney recently told me in an interview in his office.

“It’s a reflection of deep frustration from people who think: We helped the federation pay the bills, we’ve played by the rules, we haven’t really complained about it, and yet we’re getting royally screwed here.”

Alberta is still more than a year away from going to the polls. If an election were held today, it would be the United Conservatives in a landslide. It would take a miracle for the NDP to pull off another win, but we’ve seen these upsets before.

At the moment, more likely is a new Alberta under Mr. Kenney. It would not only mean a shakeup for the province, but the country, too. One of the most experienced and effective politicians in Canada is loaded for bear and is serving notice Alberta is tired of being treated as a detested cash cow.

“The hypocrisy in this country is driving a level of alienation here I haven’t seen in my whole life,” he said. “People are angry, and they should be.”

Follow related authors and topics

Authors and topics you follow will be added to your personal news feed in Following.

Interact with The Globe