BARBER: Danielle's Smith's amazing tightrope walk

Premier Danielle Smith is walking on a tightrope. Undoubtedly, the passionate Alberta and Western Canada independence movement has given her a strong negotiating position, when dealing with Prime Minister Carney. However, its power depends on the prime minister’s belief that the movement is cogent and independence is a credible threat. On the other hand, to achieve optimal results, the premier must be circumspect not to reveal her own feelings about an independent Alberta. .HANNAFORD: The group that sets the agenda.At the same time, she wants to ensure independence advocates do not feel used. She has done admirably, particularly by changing the requirements for having a referendum..But, Prime Minister Carney is also walking a tightrope. He and his supporters want to achieve net zero as soon as possible. At the same time, he does not want to be Canada’s last prime minister. He will do everything he deems necessary to avoid the nation’s breakup. This may be similar to Trudeau’s response to the truckers’ protest..The prime minister announced his new cabinet on Tuesday. Lawyer Julie Dabrusin is the new Minister of Environment and Climate Change, and Tim Hodgson is the new Minister of Energy and Natural Resources.Ms. Dabrusin, originally from Montreal, now represents the Toronto-Danforth riding. She has served as Parliamentary Secretary to both the Ministers of Energy and Natural Resources and of Environment and Climate Change.She has also promoted ESG as way for governments to force banks and businesses to further non-democratic and anti-free market goals. She wants rural and small-town taxpayers to subsidize public transportation in Toronto.Most importantly, she is a supporter of the carbon tax and according to her website, “has taken a strong stance against oil sands expansion and has promoted the critical need for a transition from fossil fuels…” In other words, she is a photocopy of Prime Minister Carney..Winnipeg-born Tim Hodgson is a chartered accountant by trade, was the CEO of Goldman Sachs Canada, a board member of MEG Energy, and represents the Markham-Thornhill riding. Much of the language in articles about the appointment of Minister Hodgson is cautious. After all, a board member’s responsibilities are very different from, for example, those of a CEO, even when both are in the oil business. Whether Minister Hodgson will be a counterbalance between the prime minister and Minister Dabrusin in discussions regarding the oil patch, remains to be seen.According to a recent CTV report, Prime Minister Carney said he would build a new pipeline if there were a consensus in Canada. But, this is a weaselly answer. He already knows Premier Legault would not support a pipeline through Quebec. Nor would the Bloc Québécois. This would give Mr. Carney the excuse that there were no consensus, and thus no pipeline would be built, allowing him to wash his hands of the matter.With Tim Hodgson’s appointment representing 'maybe' support for some or all of Premier Smith’s demands, the appointment of Minister Julie Dabrusin indicating a staunch 'no' to those same demands, and the prime minister’s clearly evasive answer, did Mr. Carney leave the swearing-in ceremony saying to himself, “the die has been cast”? Dr. A.W. Barber is the former Director of Asian Studies at the University of Calgary. He is internationally active and has wide-ranging interests.