Canada plays with a weak hand against Trump. Ottawa’s making it worse: Jerome Gessaroli in The Globe and Mail - The Macdonald-Laurier Institute

Canada has been “using subsidies as a substitute to help solve our competitiveness problem,” says economist Jerome Gessaroli. He called this approach “wrong,” “inefficient,” and “expensive.”

Open this photo in gallery:Prime Minister Mark Carney and Alberta Premier Danielle Smith meet with indigenous chiefs and energy workers before announcing the next steps to accelerate a proposed oil pipeline to the West Coast in Fort McMurray, Alta., on Oct. 1. Todd Korol/ReutersThursday was a good day for Alberta, a good day for Canada, and a good day for anyone who wants to ensure that this country cannot be held hostage to the whims of the United States. On Thursday, the Carney government designated the new bitumen pipeline to the Pacific Coast – now carrying the moniker, Pacific Link – as being in the national interest under the Building Canada Act, the first megaproject to receive that designation. That means the pipeline will enjoy an expedited regulatory review process. The Alberta government says construction could start as early as Sept. 1, 2027, once consultation with Indigenous communities is complete and necessary approvals are secured. The pipeline could be operating five years after that, some time in 2032. It’s worth taking a moment to reflect on how far Ottawa, and the country, have travelled in the past 18 months.