Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe says Trudeau was ‘harmful to nation’ as PM prepares to exit

Brandon Harder/Regina Leader-Post Prime Minister Justin Trudeau meets with Premier Scott Moe in the Premier's Office at the legislative building in Regina, Sask. in March of 2018.

Scott Moe didn’t have much positive to say about outgoing Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, but did comment on the “courage” it takes to serve as a politician.

Alec Salloum

Regina Leader-Post

As Prime Minister Justin Trudeau prepares his exit, a political science expert says Scott Moe’s government has had a “particularly contentious” relationship with Ottawa.

While a frosty relationship between federal and provincial governments isn’t uncommon, Tom McIntosh, a professor of politics and international studies at the University of Regina, says the relationship with Ottawa is markedly different than it was 10 years ago.

McIntosh pointed to legal challenges over carbon pricing as well as recent spats over Saskatchewan’s pronoun consent law (Bill 137) and the preemptive use of the notwithstanding clause (Section 33 of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms) to force it through.

“A longer lasting domestic legacy is the use of Section 33,” he said. “The willingness of provincial governments — Saskatchewan, Alberta, Ontario — to either use it or threaten to use it in all sorts of instances has sort of put the lie to that idea that this was something that was a last resort safeguard of parliamentary supremacy.”

With president-elect Donald Trump’s impending inauguration next week and looming tariff threats, national unity is front and centre for many. McIntosh said the idea of using the notwithstanding clause is a “disturbing legacy” to leave.

Despite Moe’s role in the strained relationship, the legacy left by Trudeau on the Prairies may have been set in stone by the actions of his father — former prime minister Pierre Trudeau.

“You can still get people angry in Alberta by mentioning the National Energy Program,” said McIntosh.

As Moe prepared to travel to Ottawa earlier this week for the first ministers’ meeting with Trudeau and the other premiers, he addressed the prime minister’s plans to resign.

Trudeau announced last week his intention to step down following the selection of his replacement. He also moved to prorogue (meaning suspend) Parliament until March 24 while the Liberal party conducts a leadership race.

“A number of the policies that Prime Minister Trudeau and the Liberal government brought forward, they’re, I’d say, harmful to Canadians and harmful to how we create wealth,” Moe said Tuesday, adding the policies have been “counterproductive” and he feels Trudeau’s time in government has been a net negative for Saskatchewan.

However, in a rare moment of agreement at the first ministers’ meeting, Moe joined all but one premier by signing off on a joint letter to the U.S. government that pushes for better relations between the countries, no tariffs and secured borders — and at the same time respects Canada’s sovereignty.

“Collaborative efforts will continue to try to prevent U.S. tariffs, including actions taken by the federal government to strengthen border security and curb the flow of illicit drugs, such as fentanyl, into Canadian and American communities,” read part of the letter.

With Alberta the one holdout on signing the joint letter, McIntosh said Moe deserves some credit for putting aside whatever disagreements he had with Trudeau “for the sake of, what is clearly in the minds of nine of the premiers, an important issue on which there must be a single Canadian voice.”

While Moe has never shied away from his disagreements with Ottawa, he did take time this week to commend him for his public service.

“It takes a certain degree of courage, I can tell you personally,” Moe said. “I can tell you, it takes a certain degree of courage to put your name up and serve, and he has certainly done that.”

alsalloum@postmedia.com

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