Randy Boissonnault, the federal Minister of Employment and Official Languages in Canada, has criticized certain provincial premiers for hindering the country’s progress. In an interview on CBC Radio’s The House, he expressed frustration with provincial leaders, including Alberta Premier Danielle Smith, Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe, and New Brunswick Premier Blaine Higgs, who have recently voiced opposition to federal environmental regulations.
Boissonnault’s concerns extended beyond environmental policies, as he also criticized Saskatchewan and New Brunswick for implementing rules requiring parental consent for students under 16 to change their names or pronouns in school. He characterized these actions as targeting minorities instead of working collaboratively on policy issues.
The ongoing conflict includes disputes over the carbon tax, with Premier Moe planning to direct SaskEnergy to stop collecting the carbon tax on natural gas, and Premier Higgs considering similar actions. Additionally, Premier Smith invoked her province’s Sovereignty Act to resist Ottawa’s plan to achieve a green electric grid by 2035, proposing a 2050 target instead.
Boissonnault dismissed the Sovereignty Act as a “distraction” and emphasized the importance of respecting federal laws and regulations. He highlighted the health care funding agreement as an example of successful collaboration between the federal government and provincial leaders, while also noting that any attempts to evade federal laws would ultimately be resolved through the courts.
In summary, Minister Boissonnault accused certain provincial premiers of obstructing Canada’s progress, particularly in environmental matters, and expressed a desire for greater collaboration and cooperation among all levels of government.
