Brad Wall reflects on the Justin Trudeau years

To comment on the end of Justin Trudeau’s time as Prime Minister, Brad Wall had to break one of his mother’s rules.

“My mom taught me, as most moms did, that we should probably not say anything if we don’t have anything nice to say,” the former Saskatchewan Premier said. “I know how she felt too about the Trudeau government so maybe she’d be OK with it.”

Wall posted on social media and reiterated to Swift Current Online that he feels the country would have been better off had Trudeau not followed his father’s footsteps into politics.

“I just think that the Trudeau years have been manifestly destructive for the country,” Wall said. “In terms of the unity of the country, our economy, the fiscal health of the country, our competitive status, especially going into a season of potential terrorists from (US President-Elect Donald) Trump. We have a country that is far less competitive on the world stage. We have a country that is economically disadvantaged when it has to be.”

Wall reflected back on his dealings with the Trudeau government and how he didn’t feel they respected Western Canadian industries.

“I just came away from those meetings and those encounters with the thought that Mr. Trudeau and the senior cabinet, this sort of new, much more left-wing Liberal Party, a lot different than the (Jean) Chretien and (Paul) Martin Liberal parties of the past, really didn’t care for how we make a living in Western Canada,” Wall noted. “Didn’t like the sectors that drive our economy. We’re almost embarrassed of our world-leading natural resources that we have.”

The Swift Current native isn’t entirely sure if Trudeau’s resignation is a step in the right direction for Canada yet. Wall has some concerns a change in leadership could revive the political fortunes of the Liberal Party.

“I’m a bit conflicted because yesterday was a better day for the Liberal Party of Canada than they’ve had in a long while,” he said. “They have a long way to go to come back if they can at all, but they couldn’t possibly begin to dig out of the hole they’re in unless Trudeau quit. I think it’s really important for those of us who want change to encourage the Conservatives and the (Pierre) Poilievre team to continue to campaign like you’re ten points behind. Not like they’re ahead as they are. Because we need change, I think the next election is so very important. I think Canada as we have known it, maybe not in recent years, but historically hangs in the balance.”

Recent polls have the Conservative Party with a massive lead over all opponents including Trudeau’s Liberals. That’s something Wall says they can’t take for granted.

“It may be the most important thing for political parties to remember that a win in any future election has to be earned,” he cautioned. “The best way to earn that is with humility and hard work. Remembering that a party that’s seeking to form government is asking for the chance to serve, and so you need a servant’s approach then to do the work. Keep your head down, campaign like you’re way behind, and always be humbly asking for the chance to serve and to bring change.”

There are a number of names being tossed around as possible replacements for Trudeau. They include former British Columbia Premier Christy Clark who Wall worked with when they were both in provincial politics.

He’s not convinced any leader will reverse the move the Liberals have made to the left.

“I think that the Liberal Party as we know it today is here to stay,” Wall said. “The more pragmatic approach by the Chretien Martin… that era of the Liberal Party is gone. I am Christy Clark’s friend. I worked with her as a fellow premier, and we worked collaboratively in a number of things. But if you will recall that it was BC that led the country towards a carbon tax, the likes of which we have now. She was a strong supporter… of that particular policy of the federal government.

“I don’t think any of the prospective Liberal candidates are going to change that. I don’t think a change in leadership is going to change, in a material way, in a way that’s good for Western Canada, that’s good for Saskatchewan, the policies of the Liberal Party.”

Written by Shawn Mullin.