By Mike Archer. We asked awhile back why our Fraser Valley Conservative MPs weren’t protecting us from the massive expansion of the Kinder Morgan pipeline through the middle of Fraser Valley.
With Tuesday’s press release dropped off after 5pm by nervous member of the Prime Minister’s staff we learned that the Conservative Government has approved the Enbridge Northern Gateway pipeline.
Our MPs – Mark Strahl, Ed Fast and Mark Warawa – have steadfastly sold the Harper government to their constituents on pipelines.
The ostensible reason for political representation in Ottawa is to provide the views, beliefs and desires of contituents, citizens and voters to the Federal government. It is also, of course, to provide communication from the centre of power to MP’s constituents, but, any pretense of representing the interests of their constiuents was removed when Stephen Harper told his BC caucus to shut their mouths and be unavailable for comment on the Northern Gateway.
Seasoned politicians like Ed Fast and Mark Warawa know well enough that, no matter whether you have legislative power or not, real political power comes from building consensus. Neither Fast nor Warawa have succeded in politics because they have bullied their constituents into following them.
Leadership doesn’t work that way.
Stephen Harper is not a leader. He is a bully. BC doesn’t want either pipeline and by hiding his MPs under the table and leaving town himself for the announcement, Stephen Harper has not done his BC, and specifically his Fraser Valley, Mps any favours.
The previously safe seats of the Lower Mainland may not be quite so safe after the fallout from the Stephen Harper’s power play for his Alberta oil supporters over his BC MPs. If Harper doesn’t consider his BC MPs important, their continuents may not either in 2015.