Pipeline problems
The ability for the ‘free market’ to self-regulate is an economic idea that transcends generations and national boundaries. It’s a political ideology that most conservatives believe in, regardless of where they call home. It’s a popular argument with politicians because it allows for a type of exclusive cynicism that’s required to justify ruthless budgets full of cuts. [1] Around the World, politicians have long advocated for self-regulated ‘free markets’.
The term ‘free market’ is often used to refer to a market economy based on classical laws of supply and demand free of government interference. It’s a market where businesses and private individuals can trade and compete for profits free from regulations. More specifically, this means that the market is free from any form of regulation including: taxation, mandates, licensing requirements, and more importantly, competition from publicly provided services. According to conservative politicians, for the ‘free market’ economy, the government economic regulations are the enemy.
People on the right-wing of the political spectrum love the ‘free market’ because it plays to their virtues. Conservatives love economic ‘liberty’, see notable Liberty spokesperson, Derek Fildebrandt. [2] In what we assumed is some kind of mid-life existential crisis, Derek Fildebrandt has become the poster boy for liberty-conservativism. It shouldn’t come as a surprise that this is just a re-branding of the same conservatism driving the Conservative Party of Canada and the United Conservative Party in Alberta. Fildebrandt says, “A new and United Conservative Party should embrace 21st Century conservatism. A new, liberty-conservatism that limits the role of government in both the economic and the social spheres, that respects the right of the individual to live their life however they choose so long as they do not harm anyone else.” Despite being an independent MLA, and having being shunned from the UCP, Fildebrandt refers back to the United Conservative Party on his webpage page and highlights their policies as exemplary of the liberty-conservatism which he touts as the ideal economic model. [3] The idea of liberty and freedom makes the argument for a ‘free market’ is in step with the ideals of many conservatives, Fildebrandt and Kenney know this and stick to it to appeal to potential supporters.
“liberty-conservatism that limits the role of government in both the economic and the social spheres, that respects the right of the individual to live their life however they choose so long as they do not harm anyone else”
- Derek Fildebrandt
The substance of the argument for a ‘free market’ isn’t something that is isolated to Albertan politicians. Canada’s federal conservative leader Andrew Scheer is a fan of the ‘free market,’ too. “I believe in a ‘free market’ where businesses profit by having the best product or service.” Scheer has actively criticized Prime Minister Trudeau’s for what Scheer believes to be excessive government involvement in economics. [4] Believing that government should stay out of the economy is fine if you’re into that kind of thing, but ultimately conservative politicians need to ask themselves if this approach is a realistic approach to economic development and trade. It is much more accurate to acknowledge that this position does not accurately reflect how markets, businesses, and consumers actually function as economic actors. What most of us know, is that despite their seething hatred for government regulations, varying types of regulations are already in use, and are often necessary in order to facilitate economic cycles and to drive national or provincial profit.
There’s a tendency for certain countries to shy away from regulations within the market. Countries that shy away from regulation tend to be nations that put a higher importance on individualism, private property, and capitalism. The problem with the approach that conservatives take when they speak about the ‘free market’ is the fact that a modern country can’t operate uninhibited and there’s an inherent hypocrisy in saying otherwise.
Jason Kenney’s approach to the ‘free market’ economy is rife with contradictions. Just to get a sense, before he became the leader of the UCP in Alberta; as federal Minister of Citizenship, Immigration, and Multiculturalism, Kenney used the phrase “rule of law” five times in a single speech. [5] It’s ironic because a rule of law is a regulation which goes against the ideals of the ‘free market.’ If we had a dollar for every time a conservative politician touted the rule of law, we could pay off the provincial debt faster than any proposed budgetary cuts would allow.
A prime example, is the debate between the UCP and the NDP over the Trans Mountain Pipeline. In recent months, Kenney has focused on the trade war between British Columbia and Alberta extensively. He’s made suggestions to the government on what course of action to take. He has suggested a suing the BC government, he’s suggested a reference question to the Supreme Court, and he as even sided with Alberta Premier Rachel Notley on turning off the taps on gas to BC. This is a problem for someone who wants to cut shut down publicly run companies, like crown corporations, deregulate the market, and cut taxation.
Why is that a problem? Glad you asked. Each one of those suggestions in one way or another is government interfering in the ‘free market.’ And we shouldn’t call it interfering. It’s the government aiding in the ‘free market.’ You see, when the conservatives want to score points with the business community, they talk about the importance of the ‘free market’ by promising less taxation, and less regulation. But the ‘free market’ doesn’t work in the way the conservatives want it to in order to support their narrative. When the market runs counter to the ‘free market’ narrative of Canadian conservatives, or just isn’t there for them because the ‘free market’ doesn’t give a shit about any other than profit, they turn to regulation, publicly owned companies, and taxes in the form of user fees.
Yes, Kenney will say that government policies are leading to the failure of the pipeline, but at the same time, Kenney can’t get a pipeline built without the same government policies.
