MP for Prince Albert Randy Hoback during the recent election campaign. (Alison Sandstrom/paNOW Staff)

By Glenn Hicks

western alienation

Hoback calls Freeland a friend but doubts Ottawa-Western Canadian detente

Nov 21, 2019 | 6:01 PM

The MP for Prince Albert, Conservative Randy Hoback, considers the new deputy prime minister and minister of intergovernmental affairs as a friend. However, he’s not convinced Chrystia Freeland’s new role will help remedy Western Canadian concerns.

Hoback was reacting to the appointment Wednesday of the former foreign affairs minister to her new portfolio that will, among other responsibilities, see Freeland try to bridge the divide between Ottawa and the western provinces highlighted during and after the recent election.

“If she doesn’t have the ability to make the appropriate changes to policy and legislation so we can take advantage of the resource sectors we have in Western Canada, then it really doesn’t matter what her title is,” Hoback told paNOW.

Asked about his hopes that trust could be built between Conservative MPs like himself and Freeland, especially given the personal friendship, Hoback said he often had behind-the-scenes conversations with her in the past surrounding matters like NAFTA, “but she still holds the power.”

“We can make suggestions… but there has to be changes in Ottawa to accommodate us. There has to be some respect shown back to Saskatchewan, to Prince Albert, to our oil, gas and forestry workers and to our farmers,” he said.

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Hoback insisted the divide was created by the Liberals in recent years and they needed to fix it.

“We are all interconnected across Canada and you don’t want to destroy that … but these are problems that Trudeau created …we’ve seen western alienation rise, Wexit rise, the Bloc Québécois come back … and we now need to see a response from this government.”

Hoback said a first step he wanted to see was “real action …and a willingness to re-look at some really bad legislation …and making the changes our premiers have asked for.”

That legislation includes the Liberal moves regarding the oil tanker moratorium off B.C. and the further strengthening of environmental protections for human health and local communities regarding infrastructure projects like pipelines.

When announcing his new cabinet Wednesday, Trudeau noted he “worked very, very closely and with great success” with Freeland on NAFTA and what he termed “the challenges of the American administration.”

“We know that as we move forward on issues that matter right across the country, like energy and the environment and other large issues, we’re going to have to engage in a strong and positive way with different orders of government right across the country and I’m very much looking forward to doing that with Chrystia by my side,” he said.

Meanwhile, Hoback said another first step towards bridging the divide would be a speedy return to parliament so the CN strike could be addressed, as it was causing serious distress for prairie farmers and companies. And he couldn’t resist a jab at Trudeau when noting perhaps it would take Quebec concerns to make some headway. That province is running low on propane because of the strike.

“We’ll see what happens. We tend to get more action from this government when it affects Quebec than when it affects Western Canada. I hope I’m wrong on that statement,” he said.

With files from The Canadian Press

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glenn.hicks@jpbg.ca

On Twitter:@princealbertnow