It’s a fast-changing world out there. Whether we’re talking about international, federal, provincial, or municipal politics, it’s clear we are living through a time of great change. Many current politicians are looking at the environment and deciding that, perhaps, it is time to hang up the election signs and return to private life. One might think this would be an article about the changing of the guard between Prime Ministers Trudeau and Carney, but in fact, Atlantic Canada has seen two major resignations of our own that have upended our local politics. Premier Andrew Furey of Newfoundland and Labrador and Premier Dennis King of PEI have decided to move on, citing the current political climate and the traditional need to spend more time with family.
Surely, though, the Prime Minister departing must leave a greater impression on municipalities than a mere Premier, right? In fact, municipalities tend to have closer relationships with their provincial governments, given that we are “creatures of the provinces”, which can lead to significant impacts when the provincial government undergoes a major change. So, what are municipalities to do when the Premier takes their very own walk in the snow?
First and foremost, the government's political priorities are likely to change. Even if the political stripe of the government remains the same, the topics the new leader wants to focus on and the circumstances that ousted the old leader and brought in the new will need to be identified and managed. If a political leader departs over, say, a trade war, it implies the new leader will be inundated with the management of this new challenge, and older priorities like housing, climate, and infrastructure may fall by the wayside. Indeed, we are seeing this with new calls for reducing provincial trade barriers, building East-West pipelines, and seeking new international trading partners. These ideas may or may not be sound policy, but regardless, a new Premier will be expected to dive in and keep those plates spinning with little interruption. It is up to municipalities in their regular interactions with their provincial government to keep those key topics like housing front of mind. Planning to revamp rewrite your advocacy plans with the new leader’s stated priorities in mind is a smart move ahead of a changing of the guard.
Maintaining relationships can also be challenging when the Premier’s office is under new management. Many of us have staff contacts in various provincial departments and perhaps even in the Premier’s office itself. With a new leader comes a new cabinet, new ministerial staffers, and new key allies to win over. This can create an immense amount of work for Councillors and municipal staff as we all try to learn what makes the leader tick, what kinds of people they will hire, and the logistics of how they like to work with municipalities. To keep your town in the loop, work on staying up to date on news of cabinet shuffles and staff movement to help preserve relationships with bureaucrats that aren’t moving far and leverage those connections to get introduced to the new political staff.
So, what does this mean for NL and PEI? In Newfoundland, Premier Furey announced that, with the signing of the new Upper Churchill deal with Quebec, he had achieved what he had set out to do as Premier. After 5 years as provincial leader, Mr. Furey is ready to step back into the operating room, where he began his career as a surgeon. The provincial officials vying to replace him are Minister of Housing and Mental Health and Addictions John Abbott and Minister of Health and Community Services John Hogan. One can imagine a stronger focus on healthcare and housing from these contenders, and they may be the way forward for communities that want to continue the housing conversation amidst ongoing trade pressures. An election shortly after the leadership race is likely and adds a new level of uncertainty to the mix. Keep abreast of the priorities of both leadership candidates and those of the opposition parties go ensure that you’re ready with a plan no matter who is elected.
On PEI, an interesting situation is shaping up for local communities. Premier Dennis King has stepped down after six years at the helm of the province, appointing former Minister of Housing, Land and Communities and Minister of Education, Rob Lantz, as his interim replacement. Mr. Lantz previously held a portfolio focused on municipalities, and his leadership could be a rare opportunity to push key municipal priorities forward. Although he will undoubtedly be busy managing current affairs, it is helpful that he and his team are already well-known to councillors across the province, eliminating some of the uncertainty we’re seeing in NL, for example. The downside is he will have even less opportunity to meet with communities than he did as minister, as access to a politician tightens significantly once they become Premier. Keeping an eye on Premier Lantz’ plans will be important as he insists he will not be a caretaker Premier but has also been clear that he will not run for the permanent leadership. Once a race is announced and candidates step forward, an analysis of their priorities outside of trade will be essential to building new connections and pushing your priorities forward.
In the face of a changing world, it always pays to be prepared. Today it’s NL and PEI, but tomorrow it could be Alberta or Ontario. If your Premier is resigning, what challenges do you see facing your government now? If your Premier is sticking around, what might the next transition of power look like? Let us know your thoughts by emailing tyler@strategicsteps.ca.
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