Braid: Toews touts 'targeted' tariffs to defend Alberta as UCP candidates take aim at Ottawa
Former Treasurer Travis Toews offers the most startling anti-Ottawa proposal of all
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Danielle Smith and her UCP leadership campaigners have shrewdly fostered the impression that she wears the anti-Ottawa crown. Fighting Ottawa is the whole point of the leadership race, she says — the central issue for Alberta.
But all the candidates voiced strategies for dealing with the Trudeau government during Wednesday’s candidate debate.
The others even find parts of Smith’s Sovereignty Act proposal they agree with — a provincial police force and pension, for instance.
They just don’t support her promise to nullify federal laws, because they believe it guarantees a chaotic flight from Alberta. Her only backer on nullification is Todd Loewen.
It’s somewhat surprising, therefore, that former Treasurer Travis Toews offers the most startling anti-Ottawa proposal of all.
He would impose Alberta tariffs on goods and services from areas deemed hostile to Alberta. He didn’t mention this in the debate (or not that I heard, given the many amateurish streaming freezes) but it’s right there in his campaign platform.
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It says that as premier he would “pass enabling legislation, so that when Ottawa attacks Alberta’s economy we have a potential suite of targeted levies on goods and contracts we can begin to apply and escalate as needed.”
When Alberta’s economy booms, manufactured goods come from other provinces and out-of-province companies do much of the work.
How “targeted levies” would be used isn’t at all clear, although one of Toews’ campaign staffers suggested it might affect goods from Quebec if the province further hindered pipelines with federal connivance.
This would be intended “to back Alberta’s energy and agricultural sectors against Ottawa’s targeted attacks.”
Apparently, Toews got this notion from Ottawa itself. When the U.S. threatened trade discrimination based on country-of-origin labelling, Canada countered by threatening to levy tariffs on such goods.
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The Americans repealed some of their legislation, maybe because of Ottawa’s threat but also because the World Trade Organization banned country-of-origin labelling for some products.
Toews says his moves against any Ottawa predations would be similarly strategic and targeted. He would shun a big nullification move that could very well be declared unconstitutional in the courts. More cautious by nature, Toews has a point. A constitutional declaration that was simply derided and defeated would be more damaging than doing nothing.
(Smith says Ottawa is the “lawless” party that constantly ignores the Constitution. Her nullification response, based on provincial powers, would be “lawful.”)
Brian Jean supports many Sovereignty Act ideas but draws the line at nullification of federal laws.
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He said the key is to follow through with measures such as provincial referendums on key issues, unlike Premier Jason Kenney, who won the referendum on equalization but then did nothing further when the rest of the country ignored it.
Rebecca Schulz said many gains can be won from Ottawa with tough negotiation, citing her own victory with the federal-provincial child care agreement.
Rajan Sawhney took on Smith most directly. “We can respond aggressively (to Ottawa) but the answer isn’t to threaten sovereignty or separation.
“A Danielle Smith victory today means a Rachel Notley victory tomorrow,” she added, calling Smith’s idea “risky and hotheaded.”
The candidates — also including Loewen and Leela Aheer — debated and often sniped at each other for two hours, but ended up saying how wonderful they are, one and all. They even offered each other cabinet posts.
Aheer came out with the only moment of real inspiration when she called for “a collective wave of energy and strength” to bring the province to greatness.
Loewen, who was kicked out of the government caucus for blasting Kenney, chided Toews for not speaking out. Toews responded hotly that he didn’t “cut and run” but spoke his mind at the cabinet table.
The candidates are trying to win for themselves while uniting the party and defeating the NDP next year. It’s complicated.
Don Braid’s column appears regularly in the Herald.
Twitter: @DonBraid
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