Feb 29, 2020 03:40 AM
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-51636831
EXCERPT: Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is under pressure from all sides. At the forefront is a conflict first sparked over indigenous opposition to a natural gas pipeline project, that has now evolved to include broader complex issues like indigenous governance and indigenous rights. It has led to rail blockades and protests that have crippled rail lines and disrupted the flow of the country's economy. Those events have underscored a pressure point for Mr Trudeau - he has struggled to deliver on his promise to chart a path for Canada that balances oil and gas development, environmental stewardship and indigenous reconciliation. Here are five reasons why the current unrest is a big deal.
1 - It's bad news for Justin Trudeau [...] The prime minister's political opponents have seized on the crisis to argue that he has shown weak leadership in his handling of the rail blockades and upholding of the rule of law. They are also laying the blame for the country's struggling oil and gas sector at his feet. And Canadians are feeling frustrated - a poll published this week by the National Post newspaper suggested that almost 60% of Canadians don't think the country is headed in the right direction, while 63% of respondents said Mr Trudeau was "not governing well". ...
2 - Businesses are hit by crippled rail troubles - and farms are getting cold [...] Quebec dairy and grain farmer Martin Caron says farmers are under "real stress" amid shortages of soy and propane used for food and heating. About 80% of the province's propane and 65% of its soy is transported by rail, he says. Some is now being shipped by trucks at a significant mark-up. Propane is used to heat buildings holding livestock, critical in Canadian winters. ...
3 - Companies are spooked by the uncertainty. The University of Calgary's Harrie Vredenburg, an expert on the global energy industry, says Canada has traditionally been a low risk political environment for investment. This helped it become the world's fourth largest oil and gas exporter. But the lack of certainty around the regulatory and approval process is now chilling business interest in the sector, he says. [...]
4 - It adds to the sense of 'western alienation'. The economic recovery in the province of Alberta [...] has been slow. The oil woes led to the loss of more than 100,000 jobs in Alberta and a full-on recession. In October's general election, the resource-rich provinces of Alberta and Saskatchewan turned solidly away from Mr Trudeau's Liberal party amid a sense in western Canada that its interests were not represented. [...]
5 - It highlights the challenges facing indigenous reconciliation and rights. Mr Trudeau came to power promising to transform the country's relationship with indigenous people. This conflict has highlighted the challenges involved in moving forward with that reconciliation. [...] Canada has a duty to consult with indigenous peoples before they begin any projects on their land. But there is ambiguity around the rules for consultation - one of the roots of the civil unrest seen in recent weeks... (MORE - details)
EXCERPT: Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is under pressure from all sides. At the forefront is a conflict first sparked over indigenous opposition to a natural gas pipeline project, that has now evolved to include broader complex issues like indigenous governance and indigenous rights. It has led to rail blockades and protests that have crippled rail lines and disrupted the flow of the country's economy. Those events have underscored a pressure point for Mr Trudeau - he has struggled to deliver on his promise to chart a path for Canada that balances oil and gas development, environmental stewardship and indigenous reconciliation. Here are five reasons why the current unrest is a big deal.
1 - It's bad news for Justin Trudeau [...] The prime minister's political opponents have seized on the crisis to argue that he has shown weak leadership in his handling of the rail blockades and upholding of the rule of law. They are also laying the blame for the country's struggling oil and gas sector at his feet. And Canadians are feeling frustrated - a poll published this week by the National Post newspaper suggested that almost 60% of Canadians don't think the country is headed in the right direction, while 63% of respondents said Mr Trudeau was "not governing well". ...
2 - Businesses are hit by crippled rail troubles - and farms are getting cold [...] Quebec dairy and grain farmer Martin Caron says farmers are under "real stress" amid shortages of soy and propane used for food and heating. About 80% of the province's propane and 65% of its soy is transported by rail, he says. Some is now being shipped by trucks at a significant mark-up. Propane is used to heat buildings holding livestock, critical in Canadian winters. ...
3 - Companies are spooked by the uncertainty. The University of Calgary's Harrie Vredenburg, an expert on the global energy industry, says Canada has traditionally been a low risk political environment for investment. This helped it become the world's fourth largest oil and gas exporter. But the lack of certainty around the regulatory and approval process is now chilling business interest in the sector, he says. [...]
4 - It adds to the sense of 'western alienation'. The economic recovery in the province of Alberta [...] has been slow. The oil woes led to the loss of more than 100,000 jobs in Alberta and a full-on recession. In October's general election, the resource-rich provinces of Alberta and Saskatchewan turned solidly away from Mr Trudeau's Liberal party amid a sense in western Canada that its interests were not represented. [...]
5 - It highlights the challenges facing indigenous reconciliation and rights. Mr Trudeau came to power promising to transform the country's relationship with indigenous people. This conflict has highlighted the challenges involved in moving forward with that reconciliation. [...] Canada has a duty to consult with indigenous peoples before they begin any projects on their land. But there is ambiguity around the rules for consultation - one of the roots of the civil unrest seen in recent weeks... (MORE - details)
