Perhaps we can safely assume that Donald Trump is no longer convinced that the U.S. presidential election was rigged in favour of the Democrats?
It is now the president-elect鈥檚 job to put together a White House staff and executive council.
Remarks were made by a political pundit last week that this appointed team might very well be branded as the coalition of anger, and that might not be too far off the mark.
North America now eagerly awaits the arrival of the Donald at his Oval Office desk in January. We all want to see what we鈥檒l be getting because the man is still wrapped in a warped cocoon of mysterious ways.
Will we get the petulant, vindictive, bigoted, misogynist with the quick temper?
Or will we get the smooth-talking salesman with loads of patience and understanding?
Maybe we鈥檒l get both 鈥� perhaps within his 12 to 16-hour working day cycles.
How the president-elect tends to run the business of operating the biggest country and the biggest budget in the world, means a lot to Saskatchewan.
There is clear evidence (so far) that the long-delayed Keystone pipeline project might get the green light, since he said so when answering a question posed by our own Pipeline News editor Brian Zinchuk in mid-campaign. Of course, the Donald said he wanted a piece of the action, or a hunk of the profits, in return for his blessing. But at least, if the line does get completed and operational it will be of benefit, if somewhat limited, to the local oil industry that will no longer be stymied in seeking an alternative market for their valuable product.
Another item that will have a direct impact on southeast Saskatchewan will be the new president鈥檚 vows not to implement any sort of carbon tax on the oil, coal and gas industries, as he attempts to build a new tomorrow for the United States. That will put pressure on Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to reassess his solitary decision to start placing escalating carbon taxes on this country beginning in 2018, thus placing Canada in a serious disadvantaged situation on international trade fronts, especially in the U.S., if he does so.
Perhaps this will force Trudeau鈥檚 hand and make him take a closer look at other carbon reducing options such as our own proven clean coal, CO2 sequestration program as a means of cleaning the air spaces and environment in a cost-effective manner.
If Trump rips up the North American Free Trade Agreement, as promised, in order to supposedly protect America鈥檚 industrial complex, then that will also have a huge impact on Canada, and Saskatchewan in particular.
Trade with the U.S. is no small item for this province. We do between $17 billion and $23 billion worth of sales to our southern neighbours every year. We don鈥檛 need that to be jeopardized by a rash decision fuelled by a sudden hissy-fit or childish outburst coming from the White House balcony or a Trump Tower.
We need our borders to remain open between Canada and the U.S. We don鈥檛 want to see the newly minted president suddenly retreat into a 19th century protectionist stance.
We need to keep our oil, gas, potash, uranium 鈥� our raw resources, heading south as steadily as we can in order to retain our own living standards.
So, we hope the new American president can see the wisdom of maintaining this long-lasting and mutually lucrative relationship, and yes, friendship, with 鈥渢hose guys up north.鈥� 聽
