Toronto Star writer Linda McQuaig claimed the Carney government was “coddling” Alberta in a column entitled, “When will Liberal prime ministers realize appeasing Alberta will never work?” She argues that Liberal prime ministers keep making the same mistake: trying to appease Alberta with major concessions on oil and gas infrastructure, only to get nothing in return.

Is that the nature of the federation?

Are federal approvals of projects in provinces to be considered “concessions” to be handed out grudgingly by the government, with an expectation of eternal gratitude from the recipient provinces?

The Matawinie Graphite Mine and the Contrecœur Container Terminal Project in Quebec have never been called concessions to the province, though there is an active sovereigntist movement there. Was approving those projects an act of appeasement, or was it simply motivated by an intention of fostering national economic development?

McQuaig trots out the tired canard of Canada having bought the Trans Mountain Pipeline for Alberta. She frames Albertans as ingrates who have no right to question the merits of the federation when they have been handed such a gift.

The thing is, though, no Albertans asked the federal government to buy the Trans Mountain Pipeline. Albertan energy producers simply wanted the government to get out of the way. They were more than happy to maintain and build the line. Instead, the government regulated and delayed the pipeline expansion approval to the point where Kinder Morgan abandoned it. The federal government painted itself into a corner and bought the line to fend off a total disaster.

Then, after quadrupling the cost and delaying construction by years, the Trans Mountain expansion was finally operational. Albertans shouldn’t be expected to express thanks for the fiasco.

Energy infrastructure in Alberta benefits the entire country. Though expensive and delayed, the Trans Mountain line now brings $1.7 billion per year into the federal coffers. The oil and gas sector as a whole has generated hundreds of billions in federal revenue over the years from an assortment of taxes. Approving energy projects isn’t some favour that only benefits Alberta.

McQuaig frames the ongoing discussions between Premier Smith and Prime Minister Carney to approve a new pipeline to the West Coast as a waste of time because Albertans won’t properly appreciate it.

Approving resource development in Canada isn’t some form of appeasement. It is economic common sense.