Trudeau’s response to Keystone XL cancellation will deepen Canada’s regional divides

Leading a country, particularly a regionally diverse country like Canada, requires the demonstration of respect to each region of the country and standing up for each region equally.

People will quickly notice if you are playing favourites, and people won’t stand for it. Hence, the situation we see in Canada today with growing regional divides.

Particularly, many in Western Canada feel left out of Canada, not simply in an electoral sense, but due to the behaviour of the federal government.

And Trudeau’s quick rolling over after US President Joe Biden cancelled the Keystone XL pipeline will deepen those divisions.

Consider how the Liberals have framed this:
They claimed that Biden was "fulfilling a campaign promise," and thus they wouldn’t fight back.

Yet, when former US President Donald Trump imposed tariffs on many countries including Canada—also fulfilling a campaign promise—the federal government pushed back strongly, as they should have.

Why push back against one, and not the other?

The disparate reaction shows that some industries and regions matter to the Liberal government, and others apparently do not.

Let’s also remember the SNC-Lavalin scandal. Justin Trudeau tried to bend the rules, change the laws, pressure the Attorney General, and then ultimately remove her entirely, all because she wouldn’t go along with his effort to use government power to benefit one corporation.

That corporation happens to be headquartered in Quebec, a key part of the current Liberal party electoral base. Trudeau was willing to incur a massive scandal that could have brought down his party and government, and then repeatedly lie about it.

He certainly didn’t "roll over" when SNC-Lavalin was in trouble. Instead, he unleashed everything he could think of to get his way.

So again, consider how disparate that reaction was compared to the reaction of the cancellation of the Keystone XL pipeline.

People notice this. People in Western Canada, especially Alberta, are seeing how different the reaction is when some parts of the country are struggling compared to other parts.

Further, that doesn’t even include the fact that the government has imposed restrictions, taxes, and regulations that disproportionally damage the energy sector, while praising and boosting other sectors that use the products created by the energy sector.

This combination of hypocrisy and favouritism is the last thing our already-divided country needs right now. If Canada is to succeed, every Canada must feel equally a part of our nation.