The prime minister has pitched the agreement as a way to strengthen Canada's economic resilience and diversify its trade away from the US
by Akshat Rathi, Danielle Bochove and Nojoud Al Mallees
Prime Minister Mark Carney’s move to placate Alberta with an oil pipeline deal is emboldening a resurgent separatist movement in Quebec, warned former cabinet minister Steven Guilbeault, who resigned over the agreement last week.
In an interview with Bloomberg’s Akshat Rathi for the Zero podcast airing Friday, Guilbeault said he understands the prime minister is trying to address discontent over federal energy policies that have stoked separatist sentiment in Alberta. But he said the memorandum of understanding that Carney struck with Alberta Premier Danielle Smith, which would pause or undo a number of climate policies, will strengthen a much more organized separatist movement in Canada’s French-speaking province.
“Frankly, by going so far to please the Alberta government on this MOU, he is fueling another separatist movement in my home province of Quebec,” Guilbeault said. “And in Quebec, it’s not a nascent movement, it’s an organized political party that has won elections, that has done two referendums to separate from Canada.”
Guilbeault was Canada’s environment minister under former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau before moving to the culture portfolio under Carney. He also took on the role of Quebec lieutenant, serving as the prime minister’s main spokesperson in the province.
He resigned both positions after Carney struck a deal with Alberta offering federal support for one or more new oil pipelines, exempting Alberta from clean electricity regulations and extending tax credits to apply to enhanced oil recovery. In exchange, Alberta agreed to adhere to stricter industrial carbon pricing and support the construction of the massive Pathways carbon-capture system.
The prime minister has pitched the agreement as a way to strengthen Canada’s economic resilience and diversify its trade away from the US, an effort the business community has widely applauded.
The agreement is also part of Ottawa’s attempt to mend its relationship with Alberta, which had become increasingly hostile in Trudeau’s final years in power. Smith has called on Carney to help quell a secession movement in her province by repealing regulations that curb energy development.
However, Carney’s government has faced backlash for not involving the province of British Columbia and Coastal First Nations in the MOU to ensure their approval ahead of inking the bilateral deal with Alberta. The agreement states that consultation must take place, and that Indigenous co-ownership is a necessary condition of any new pipeline.
“I recognize and I agree with the prime minister that we should make some efforts to ensure that all Canadians feel they have a place in the federation,” Guilbeault said. But the MOU’s consequences will affect all Canadians and the ambiguity it has created around whether the province of BC has the ability to block a pipeline is sparking fears in Quebec, he said.
Yves-Francois Blanchet, leader of the nationalist Bloc Quebecois, panned the agreement last week. He warned that if BC loses its battle against the project, there’s nothing that would stop the Canadian government from doing the same thing to Quebec.
The tension over the role of provincial approval in energy projects comes as Quebec’s separatist party gains ground heading into next year’s provincial election. Polling currently suggests the Parti Quebecois is on track to win a majority government, and if elected, it has pledged to hold a third referendum on sovereignty.
A recent Leger Marketing Inc. poll suggested about a third of Quebec residents support separating from Canada, while a poll by the same firm in May of this year found about 29% of Albertans want their province to become independent.
“I think everyone who’s worried about Canadian unity should be worried about this election,” said Guilbeault of the Quebec vote.
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