Higgs And Trudeau Are Both ‘Playing Politics’ On Energy Issues. What’s Wrong With That?
You can’t blame Premier Blaine Higgs for “playing politics” on shale gas development in the province.
Yes, he believes the province-wide exploration and development of the resource is good for the economy and can be done in an environmentally responsible way. He also thinks provinces like New Brunswick have a responsibility to do it if they’re receiving equalization payments from provinces like Alberta and Saskatchewan that are developing their energy resources.
But Higgs is a pragmatic guy. Here’s what he told me on the campaign trail last fall when I asked him why lifting the province-wide moratorium wasn’t in his party’s platform:
“Because it wasn’t supported across the province,” he said. “Clearly, there were a lot of areas that just didn’t want to pursue it.”
Clearly, indeed. His party learned the hard way in 2014 when it campaigned on province-wide shale development and lost the election to Brian Gallant, who promised a province-wide moratorium and won a majority government.
The Progressive Conservatives are back in power, but with a minority government, that could fall if Higgs isn’t careful on key issues. On shale gas, he’ll proceed with development in areas where there is enough community support, and hope the rest of the province comes onside when they realize the resource can be developed responsibly.
“The area that we want to focus on is the area that actually wants to pursue this – the Sussex region,” he told me last fall. “So we continue to get it established and I’m hopeful that others would say, ‘Oh well that’s worked out. They’ve got a good plan to get the strongest environmental commitments and the ability to ensure that the water is treated properly before it’s released.’ Maybe then we’re able to move it forward.”
And how does Higgs define community support? In the case of Sussex, the majority support for political parties that favour the development of the resource.
“We had members running – not only our member, but the [People’s] Alliance member – on the development of shale gas, and they were one and two in the race. So we have the interest there to support that,” he told reporters in Moncton earlier this year.
So he’s “playing politics,” meaning he’s making decisions based on his level of political support on the issue.
This is probably the right time for me to pause and say I know Higgs says he doesn’t play politics as some other leaders do. He casts himself as a pragmatic businessman trying to do right by the province, whatever the political costs.
But his approach to the shale gas issue is clear evidence that he does. If political considerations weren’t at play, it would be full steam ahead on development of the industry – political consequences be damned.
Which brings me to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and the main reason why Energy East died and can’t be revived in the current political climate.
Trudeau clearly supports pipeline development, even though he’s focused on balancing those projects with reducing greenhouse gas emissions. He’s been a longtime proponent of KeystoneXL and his government bought the troubled Trans Mountain pipeline project to keep alive the prospect of it eventually being constructed.
But could you blame the prime minister for reading the mood on Energy East in Quebec just as Higgs has done on shale gas here?
Energy East would have to run through Quebec, where the most vocal of elected representatives – with notable exceptions like Maxime Bernier – are fierce opponents, including the current premier.
Trudeau also has 40 MPs in the province, and he needs them to get re-elected in October to remain prime minister.
In a similar way, Higgs needs to proceed cautiously on the shale gas issue.
And I say, what’s wrong with that? Politics has understandably, but unfortunately, become a dirty word. Politicians need to play the game to do their jobs.
Trudeau has to stay in power to carry out his agenda that balances the economic and environmental concerns, and he needs the Quebec seats to do that. Higgs ultimately believes New Brunswick needs to develop its shale gas resources to prosper, but he needs to proceed slowly and try to win over the areas where there is opposition.
Of course, it’s still important to assess these large energy projects on their economic and environmental merits. Just last week, a Senate committee was in Saint John to hold hearings on Bill C-69, and environmentalists and business leaders made presentations on whether or not the proposed new system would fairly balance climate change considerations and economic benefits of large-scale infrastructure projects like pipelines.
In a presentation to the Senate committee in Ottawa Tuesday, Higgs joined the chorus of many Bill C-69 opponents calling it the “no-pipeline” bill. He also spoke about how it’s unfair that Canada’s extensive pipeline system ends at Quebec, leaving Atlantic Canadians cut off from the prosperity that flows from the transportation of oil and gas through pipeline networks.
Higgs blames politics, even as he practices the same kind of politics here at home.
Companies and environmental organizations are both heavily invested in these projects and the issues themselves and being subjected to the shifting winds of politics can be frustrating. But political considerations are very important too because they’re the best – though imperfect – way of assessing local, regional and national support for major initiatives like this.
Of course, Trudeau has never said politics scuttled Energy East. Like Higgs, he wouldn’t want people to think that influences how he makes decisions.
But it’s certainly convenient for him that the twists and turns of the National Energy Board process – from the resignation of board members to adopting a more comprehensive assessment of the impact on greenhouse gas emissions mid-stream – ultimately caused TransCanada to abandon the project.
Truthfully, the ideal time to proceed with Energy East was when the Conservative Party had a majority government with only five seats in Quebec.
The best shot at pressing ahead with shale gas development was when David Alward had a majority government here.
Or right now if you’re not “playing politics.”
Mark Leger is the editor of Huddle.
Huddle publishes commentaries from groups and individuals on important business issues facing the Maritimes. These commentaries do not necessarily reflect the opinion of Huddle. To submit a commentary for consideration, contact editor Mark Leger: [email protected].