Tom Mulcair's derision of oilsands is raising the ire of the West as he tries to pit one part of the country against the other
Unusually, a premier is stepping forward to do battle with official Opposition leader Tom Mulcair over the pace of western Canadian resource development.
Saskatchewan's Brad Wall put up his dukes this week, con-fronting what he considers a nationally divisive and erroneous posture adopted by the new NDP leader on the oilsands and other resource developments in the region.
Wall tweeted his displeasure over comments Mulcair made in a radio interview last week-end about "Dutch Disease" - whereby Canada's robust petrodollar supposedly is dam-aging the manufacturing sector in Ontario, Quebec and New Brunswick.
While it's not often a premier jumps jurisdictions to confront a federal politician who is not the prime minister, the Saskatchewan Party premier is an ideal candidate to take on Mulcair.
Stephen Harper is under the gun for running roughshod over the environment in order to expedite resource development. And Alberta's Alison Redford would be seen as narrowly trying to safeguard the golden oilsands goose.
In joining the fray, Wall broadens the opposition to Mulcair, making it appear as a western front.
Wall established himself as a strong Saskatchewan spokes-man in 2010 as he fended off a takeover bid of the potash industry by BHP Billiton. He's cited in polls as one of the most popular premiers Canada.
He won an easy victory in an election last November and is the only premier this year to introduce a balanced bud-get, thanks largely to strong resource development in Saskatchewan, which has uranium and potash as well as some conventional oil.
Wall, whose roots are in the Progressive Conservative party, asserted Monday on CBC TV that it's inappropriate for Mulcair to pit one part of Canada against another. "This is someone who is aspiring to 24 Sussex Drive, to be the prime minister of the country."
And he correctly noted the NDP leader's position is a disputed one.
He pointed out that U.S. rust belt states like Michigan and Ohio are suffering just as Ontario is, in the absence of any oilsands development.
Further, Saskatchewan's own manufacturing sector is thriving despite the high Canadian dollar.
Weakness in the manufacturing sector is due more to a global economic downturn and manufacturing jobs moving to lower-cost developing countries, he says.
"Let's watch some of the rhetoric in this debate," said Wall, citing the equalization cash that western provinces contribute.
"I'd say to Mr. Mulcair, he should explain to western Canadians why what we're doing here is bad for the country when we know we're contributing mightily to the nation."
Mulcair has never been to Alberta's oilsands, according to his office. But on an upcoming cross-country tour, he plans to take a first-hand look at the northern Alberta development.
There are early indications the official Opposition leader is suffering politically because of his repeated assaults on Alberta's oil sector.
While his pitch appears to appeal to Quebecers, a Nanos Research poll last month showed folks both in the Prairies and in B.C. give a thumbs down to Mulcair on leadership indexes relating to trust and vision.
In B.C., while 24 per cent of poll respondents said Harper had the best vision for Canada, 5.6 per cent chose Mulcair. While 32 per cent of Prairie respondents described Harper as trustworthy, 13 per cent picked Mulcair.
If New Democrats are sincere in their intention to improve their disastrous showing on the Prairies in last year's election - when they won just three seats - and win government in 2015, they'll have to develop a whole new narrative on western resource development.
Our tulip bulb industry is safe and sound Tom.
Unusually, a premier is stepping forward to do battle with official Opposition leader Tom Mulcair over the pace of western Canadian resource development.
Saskatchewan's Brad Wall put up his dukes this week, con-fronting what he considers a nationally divisive and erroneous posture adopted by the new NDP leader on the oilsands and other resource developments in the region.
Wall tweeted his displeasure over comments Mulcair made in a radio interview last week-end about "Dutch Disease" - whereby Canada's robust petrodollar supposedly is dam-aging the manufacturing sector in Ontario, Quebec and New Brunswick.
While it's not often a premier jumps jurisdictions to confront a federal politician who is not the prime minister, the Saskatchewan Party premier is an ideal candidate to take on Mulcair.
Stephen Harper is under the gun for running roughshod over the environment in order to expedite resource development. And Alberta's Alison Redford would be seen as narrowly trying to safeguard the golden oilsands goose.
In joining the fray, Wall broadens the opposition to Mulcair, making it appear as a western front.
Wall established himself as a strong Saskatchewan spokes-man in 2010 as he fended off a takeover bid of the potash industry by BHP Billiton. He's cited in polls as one of the most popular premiers Canada.
He won an easy victory in an election last November and is the only premier this year to introduce a balanced bud-get, thanks largely to strong resource development in Saskatchewan, which has uranium and potash as well as some conventional oil.
Wall, whose roots are in the Progressive Conservative party, asserted Monday on CBC TV that it's inappropriate for Mulcair to pit one part of Canada against another. "This is someone who is aspiring to 24 Sussex Drive, to be the prime minister of the country."
And he correctly noted the NDP leader's position is a disputed one.
He pointed out that U.S. rust belt states like Michigan and Ohio are suffering just as Ontario is, in the absence of any oilsands development.
Further, Saskatchewan's own manufacturing sector is thriving despite the high Canadian dollar.
Weakness in the manufacturing sector is due more to a global economic downturn and manufacturing jobs moving to lower-cost developing countries, he says.
"Let's watch some of the rhetoric in this debate," said Wall, citing the equalization cash that western provinces contribute.
"I'd say to Mr. Mulcair, he should explain to western Canadians why what we're doing here is bad for the country when we know we're contributing mightily to the nation."
Mulcair has never been to Alberta's oilsands, according to his office. But on an upcoming cross-country tour, he plans to take a first-hand look at the northern Alberta development.
There are early indications the official Opposition leader is suffering politically because of his repeated assaults on Alberta's oil sector.
While his pitch appears to appeal to Quebecers, a Nanos Research poll last month showed folks both in the Prairies and in B.C. give a thumbs down to Mulcair on leadership indexes relating to trust and vision.
In B.C., while 24 per cent of poll respondents said Harper had the best vision for Canada, 5.6 per cent chose Mulcair. While 32 per cent of Prairie respondents described Harper as trustworthy, 13 per cent picked Mulcair.
If New Democrats are sincere in their intention to improve their disastrous showing on the Prairies in last year's election - when they won just three seats - and win government in 2015, they'll have to develop a whole new narrative on western resource development.
Our tulip bulb industry is safe and sound Tom.
