As a young man, I worked on ships that sailed up the B.C. coast. I quickly learned that the Inside Passage was smooth sailing; the turbulent waters came when we sailed on the open ocean.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has been serene sailing the Inside Passage, but last week, he embarked upon the open ocean.
When Trudeau promised friction-free politics during last year’s election, Canadians understandably sighed with relief.
Many had been dismayed by the negativity and rancour of the past few years, blamed on the policies and atmosphere created during the almost decade-long leadership of Stephen Harper and his Conservative Party.
Others were relieved by the upbeat and outward-looking approach to politics taken by Canada’s relatively young new leader.
And even if in the view of some there were minor missteps in the beginning, most Canadians were seemingly prepared to adopt a positive attitude toward Trudeau, including the recent decision he made not to cancel a large, controversial sale of armoured military vehicles to Saudi Arabia’s autocratic rulers, who use such vehicles against their own population.
But while some Canadians, including many journalists, have begun to question the lack of balance or criticism directed at Trudeau, that situation might soon be changing.
Interestingly, that change could arise from the Trudeau government’s announcement last week that it is approving the controversial Pacific NorthWest LNG proposal to build a liquefied natural gas terminal near Prince Rupert, which would make it possible to export the gas to East Asian countries.
Despite the fact the Trudeau government has imposed 190 conditions on the proposal, it has been vigorously opposed by not just environmentalists but also some First Nations and others who fear that such shipments could endanger one of the most important salmon-breeding areas in B.C.
While federal Environment Minister Catherine McKenna has given assurances that Ottawa has every intention of ensuring the project meets all environmental and safety standards, such assurances have failed to convince many environmental groups.
Those familiar with the B.C. coast are keenly aware of the potential risks that exist due to the weather conditions.
This reality can never be ignored, regardless of how many conditions are imposed on such marine traffic. Too many coastal communities in North America have already learned that lesson.
For many in such vulnerable regions, governments that offer firm assurances that all possible safety and remedial measures will be put in place are regarded by many as more interested in advancing their own agendas than the interests of the public.
In this regard, notwithstanding the pros and cons of the decision by Trudeau to approve the LNG proposal, one entity that could benefit is the New Democratic Party.
The NDP and its leader, Thomas Mulcair, have always been in the front of political parties backing environmental issues and calling for greater measures to cut Canada’s greenhouse-gas emissions.
(Mulcair has long been known as an ardent supporter of efforts to protect the environment. So much so, that when a provincial cabinet minister in Quebec under the Liberal Party, he resigned from the cabinet in protest over his party’s environmental policy.)
At a time when Mulcair and the NDP are still licking their wounds from their stunning setback during last year’s federal election — falling from their unaccustomed position as the second-largest party in Parliament to their traditional place as Canada’s third-largest — Trudeau’s decision is almost like resuscitating someone considered to be waiting for the Grim Reaper.
While Trudeau’s embrace of the LNG project in B.C. might still go nowhere because of financial and other considerations, the prime minister’s move is likely to do two important things: In one way or another, it will probably have negative fallout for the Liberals while at the same time stopping the NDP’s downward spiral.
Trudeau could be in for some rough sailing.
Harry Sterling, a former diplomat, is an Ottawa-based commentator. He served as the Canadian representative to the International Joint Commission responsible for dealing with Canada-U.S. transboundary environmental issues.
