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Whether it’s the size of our country or the design of our political system, an unfortunate feature of Canadian federalism is that much of the important work done by the MPs we elect takes place 3,000 kilometres and two time zones away.
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Occasionally they will get a moment in question period, but otherwise they are often out of view in Ottawa. We typically don’t see their work with legislation or on committees, we don’t know what kind of influence they wield within their parties, or how well they represent Edmonton’s interests in caucus or cabinet.
As such, I thought it would be useful to catch up with three local MPs from different parties to get a sense of what they have been up to in the new Parliament and what their priorities are for 2022.
Of course, when I say “new” Parliament, that’s a debatable descriptor considering the “election about nothing” last Sept. 20 was an expensive, largely unnecessary exercise that produced little change across the country.
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In Edmonton, at least, the race did result in a couple of new wrinkles to the local political landscape, including our city gaining a representative at the Liberal cabinet table.
Though hard to know exactly what propelled Randy Boissonnault’s political comeback in Edmonton-Centre, a good bet is that voter attitudes toward the Liberals softened d ue to Ottawa’s generous pandemic supports.
At least, that’s what Boissonnault is banking on. Getting Albertans through what we all hope is the last gasp of COVID-19 is the major focus of his dual roles as minister of tourism and associate minister of finance, he told me in a late December interview.
Asked for specifics, Boissonnault noted the recent childcare deal with the province that should stimulate the Alberta workforce, along with more money for booster shots, antiviral drugs, rapid tests (which have been slow to arrive), and ventilation upgrades for schools.
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While the Liberals ended broad-based support programs like the emergency wage and rent subsidies, Boissonnault said $7.4 billion in more “targeted” measures was approved last fall to help businesses still struggling to recover. This includes money for the tourism sector, which is Alberta’s third largest and likely hardest-hit industry.
Most importantly, he said that after two years without a Liberal MP in Alberta, his presence in cabinet ensures a direct line of communication to the government’s inner circle.
“We promised people that if they voted for us and we won, we would rebuild the pipeline between Edmonton and Ottawa,” Boissonnault said. “So now my colleagues aren’t guessing about what Alberta needs and wants from the country.”
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“Cabinet time is precious. I am heard when I need to be heard,” he added.
Those are all good words from Boissonnault. Yet it must be said that simply having an Alberta MP in cabinet is no guarantee the government actually listens. We only need to go back to the 2015-19 Liberal government, which had Amarjeet Sohi in a prominent cabinet role but still enacted energy policies widely seen here as an attack on Alberta. Boissonnault was also part of that government.
“I trust that Randy is trying to do the best he can for Edmonton … but what we saw last time is that when he had chances to stand up and push back against his own government, he failed to do so,” said Matt Jeneroux , the Conservative MP from Edmonton Riverbend.
“So colour me skeptical that things are going to suddenly change.“
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Jeneroux is part of a veteran group of local Conservative MPs including Tim Uppal, Mike Lake, Kelly McCauley, Dane Lloyd and Garnett Genius, who are all included in the Conservative shadow cabinet.
Jeneroux’s specific critic portfolio is housing, diversity and inclusion. He said that if the Liberal government really wants to help Alberta’s economy, it would give more attention to the rising cost of living. This includes housing affordability — a bigger concern in other parts of the country — but also pressures in regard to construction materials, gas, food and other household necessities.
Besides Boissonnault, the other local change stemming from the federal race was the election of Blake Desjarlais in Edmonton-Griesbach , giving the city a pair of New Democrat MPs.
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When results came in, my first thought was to wonder if it could help to shift the conversation within the federal NDP, which has historically failed to show much sensitivity to the province’s beleaguered energy sector.
Desjarlais said his 25-member caucus has had good debates on this topic. And though some colleagues continue to want a more aggressive action on climate change, he and Edmonton-Strathcona MP Heather McPherson have pushed the point that an energy transition must include job transition supports for workers.
“I think within the NDP we are quite well listened to,” said Desjarlais, who was also pleased to see the passage of the conversion therapy ban. “To get true climate action we need climate justice, which means making sure workers are accommodated.”
So there you have it, a modest peek behind the Ottawa curtain to see how our local MPs are representing us on the national stage.
Of course the first few months were just the warm-up act. The much trickier performance lies ahead, particularly for Boissonnault, who must deliver on promises of economic respect for Alberta — no easy feat for a new minister working within a minority government and facing a wary province.
Keith Gerein: Edmonton MPs all fighting for the local economy, but in different ways - Edmonton Journal
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