We got upset when they took two or three weeks for a holiday south of the border. So why aren't we howling freakin' mad at Canadian politicians and officials who spent even more time in the United States in recent years — and didn't see the Keystone XL pipeline veto coming?
How can this be a surprise for seasoned, expert politicians and bureaucrats who we pay (very well) to be prepared? "A punch in the gut"? Really, Mr. Kenney? More like the slowest windmill, arching, all-the-time-in-the-world-to-react, round-house kick to our collective midsection. But it hasn't been only the province's current leader who failed to plan. It was the one before him, and the one in Ottawa ... and all the bureaucrats, lobbyists and paid fluffers who simply didn't fluff. And now they strut around looking all hurt and shocked? Really?
They've had years to create a plan B. Years.
How many junkets, ambassador visits, economic conferences, trade missions... or simple, basic diplomatic conversations with American officials have Alberta and Canadian politicians been a part of since the Keystone XL pipeline has been on the books? Alberta even has a billion dollar office responsible for petroleum marketing that is staffed by five administrators making more than $1.8 million in salaries. And what about the 'war room' created by the UCP government using trained journalists to watch and monitor world media feeds for the mere mention of "Alberta Oil"? How did all of these people, with all of this skill, spending all of our money ... not plan for it? What were our trusted officials doing on their visits and talks with their US counterparts? Our crack team of negotiators did such a good job over the years that Biden's first order of business is to kill the one big deal our folks should have been talking about?
Or, did our premier and his team of movers and-shakers put all their oil eggs into one Trump basket? Is it possible that despite the outgoing president's policies, Kenney still believed Trump was going to remain in power and the pipeline would go ahead. No one thought to work a little harder on Joe over the last few years?
Where was Plan B? It seemed pretty obvious that now-President Joe Biden was going to have second thoughts on an oil connection across the 49th parallel if he got into office; obvious because he said he was going to do it. He said it over and over again.
But no plan B. In fact, it appears no alternative plan at all.
Don't we elect these people to have at least a Plan B? All the power, all the expertise ... all for nothing.
Millions have been spent to hand-shake our way into the hearts and political will of our southern neighbours. For what? And to add insult to injury ...our politicians are now stamping around, so angry and (gasp) surprised about the XL news? Really? They should know better. They DID know better.
All the power, all the expertise ... all for nothing.
Essentially, our leaders took a holiday while they were supposed to be dealing with a major issue. They put up their feet, looked towards the sunny south and didn't plan for tomorrow.
Didn't we just fire a bunch for people doing that? Now that would be a good plan.
