The Montreal First Liars Conference - Much Ado About Not Much

The View Up Here

The First Ministers Conference. A wonderfully Canadian creation where Provincial and Territorial Premiers try to use their 13-to-1 advantage to extort/persuade/embarrass/browbeat the Federal government into delivering on aims not necessarily in the "national interest" despite all claims to the contrary. There is no real purpose to these gatherings in reality. Federal governance is determined by the House of Commons, where all voters in Canada have a say (in theory). Provincial and Territorial governance is determined by voters in those specific jurisdictions only under the same premise. Nothing at these events could not be accomplished via teleconference, administrative co-operation and/or smaller meetings based on actual solutions being proposed and debated. But that would do little to tackle the main purpose, which is politics. Where else can a Premier get the national spotlight to pitch their specific pet project or peeve to the voters at home and from coast-to-coast. The premise of common goals allows all attendees to speak on their angle and try to convince everyone it is a national cause. Which is the true purpose of the First Liars Conference. Rachel Notley spending tax dollars for her TMX propaganda campaign en francais. Doug Ford threatening to not show because...he's Doug Ford. Scott Moe hating everything and proposing nothing. Blaine Higgs leaving no doubt where he worked for over two decades. Brian Pallister trying to head off the next hydro dam PR disaster because it's an opportunity you see. Rookie Francois Legault making it clear he represents Quebec and everyone else can pound sand, with a smile. The end-of-conference communique, which was signed by all 14 parties, looked conspicuously like the original Federal agenda despite the apparent unacceptability of it for most of the week prior to the event. Show's over, carry on subjects. TVUH breaks it down.