THUNDER BAY – Thunder Bay’s two incoming Liberal members of Parliament support Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s decision not to form a formal coalition with another party.
Thunder Bay-Superior North’s Patty Hajdu, who was re-elected to a second term, and Thunder Bay-Rainy River first-timer Marcus Powlowski on Wednesday said the message was delivered loud and clear from voters to work across party lines, and that’s what they suspect the prime minister will endeavour to do as he negotiates leading a minority government through turbulent political times.
Trudeau and the Liberals won 157 seats in Monday’s federal election, 29 fewer than they had at dissolution.
To get meaningful legislation passed, he’ll likely need the help of either the NDP, who dropped 18 seats to 24, or the Bloc Quebecois, who surged from 10 seats in the previous Parliament to 32 this time around.
“Like the prime minister said, we’ve had many experiences working across the aisle with opposition members that are presenting good ideas that have way to improve the legislation we proposed in the last mandate,” Hajdu said, explaining the Liberal willingness to work well with parliamentary others.
“I, as minister of employment, worked on a number of occasions on legislation that wasn’t even in our mandate that was presented by, for example, the NDP.
“I think (Trudeau’s) perspective is a good one, that there are opportunities to work across the floor and I think we’ve got a really good base foundation of doing that.”
Powlowski, who edged out Conservative Linda Rydholm to keep Thunder Bay-Rainy River in the Liberal fold, said he’s confident the prime minister and his cabinet will be able to get the job done efficiently in a minority.
“I would have thought that we’ve got a big enough minority that you can go on a piece-by-piece basis. Some things you may get support from one party, some things you may get support from another party. I would think that’s pretty doable, so you can form an effective government, without a definitive coalition with one party or another.”
Both Powlowski and Hajdu acknowledged western alienation is real, and pledged to work together to assure those living in Alberta and Saskatchewan, where the Liberals were shut out, that their concerns are being heard – and acted upon.
Powlowski said it’s time.
“Obviously there’s not a lot of support from the prairie provinces, but I think for the sake of the country we have to do things together. I think you have to make those (unofficial) coalitions. I think you have to worry about what’s happening in Alberta,” he said.
“What happens in Alberta affects us here. There are a lot of people working in the oil fields and the tar sands of Alberta and I think we want to get along with them.”
Hajdu said it’s all about listening to the solutions put forth by people living in Alberta and Saskatchewan and address the challenges they face.
“There’s no doubt about it, the people of Alberta and Saskatchewan have had a tough time over the last number of years. Obviously continuing work on the pipeline to get our resources to new markets and even though it’s a difficult process, we’ve committed and continued on that work,” Hajdu said.
Trudeau, in a half-an-hour news conference in Ottawa, also said he’ll announce his cabinet on Nov. 20.
Hajdu is widely expected to be invited back to the cabinet table at that time, though it’s unlikely Powlowski, a first-timer in Parliament, will hear the call.
