I can only imagine what our newly elected prime minister’s schedule looks like. Given the scope of his responsibility it must be challenge to prioritize his time. Managing to attend summits in Turkey, Paris and Davos, Switzerland, while still tending to the nation’s business, must be taxing. The PM also has to balance the competing needs of the constituents in his riding, as well as every other Canadian in this country. Then, there’s the attention he has to pay to the party base, as well as to those who contributed financially to his campaign.  And then of course there’s the need to find time for legacy issues; the ones that get you into history books, and sometimes burned in the public’s psyche. The thing about legacies is that they are not necessarily created by design. Sometimes it doesn’t work out. For example, our prime minister’s father, Pierre Elliot Trudeau, Canada’s 15th Prime Minister.  

Many Albertans still seethe at the mere mention of Pierre Elliot Trudeau. They think back to the early 80′s, and Trudeau’s National Energy Program, which laid waste to a good portion of Alberta. When you combine the words Alberta and Trudeau, you expect some form of combustion. It’s for that reason I was intrigued to see how our newly crowned Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, would do when visiting the beleaguered province. I suspect it must be a tough pill for Alberta to swallow, asking a Trudeau for help. But ask they should, and must.

I’ll say this about Jr.; he comes across as having far more empathy than his father ever did. That being said, his father was a man of depth; an intellectual, with an extraordinary wit and a sense of timing. He was the smartest guy in the room, and if you needed convincing, he relished the opportunity to prove it. What Alberta doesn’t need right now is a visit from an eastern elitist with an all knowing attitude. I think what they need is to hear some honesty, and to let them know their government won’t make things worse.

For all intents and purposes, the prime minister said all the right things when visiting Alberta. Frankly, there’s not much that neither he nor Ottawa can do at this time. It’s not like they can snap their fingers and set a new price for oil. Saying Ottawa is there to support Alberta is nice, but it can’t be just talk. There is something that could be done right now. Adjust EI eligibility in Alberta for those needing assistance right now. No need to wait until March, when the new budget comes down to announce eligibility changes. People need assistance, now.

There’s a bumpy road ahead for Albertans. It’s bound to create more angst, concern and fear in the near term. The ripple effect from Alberta will spread across the county. I hope our leaders take a pragmatic approach to the issues and challenges at hand. Investing time and financial resources to saving Mother Earth is a noble aspiration, but not at the expense of those you took an oath to serve. 

Until next time,

Cheers.