Call it seagull politics: Donald Trump zips into the Canadian zeitgeist, makes a bunch of loud noise, creates a huge mess and zips back out.
Leaving all of us bewildered Canadians to try and pick up the pieces.
Our only choice: to Trump-proof our economy to buck the whims of the Oval Office.
For generations, B.C.’s vast natural resources have created the wealth that supports the services upon which we have come to rely. Education, health care, social assistance, child care, mental health and addiction services—all of these are supported by the government revenues generated in the resource sector.
Donald Trump’s recent deployment of tariffs is not only reminiscent of past trade disputes, it is actually the continuation of 25 years of border wrangling over our lumber exports and an indication of the Americans’ attitude towards Canada.
So, what can we do this time? Can we increase trade with the world, reduce our dependence on U.S. markets and increase prosperity for Canadians?
The answer is a resounding “yes” if we move quickly to unlock B.C.’s natural resource potential. Unfortunately, Trump isn’t the only seagull pestering us. Our own government has been locking up our resources, artificially slowing our economy through confusing layers of complex and overlapping federal and provincial policies.
The mess of red tape is the combined effect of things like the B.C. Old Growth Strategy, the Biodiversity and Ecosystem Health Framework, CleanBC, Marine Protected Areas, Watershed Security Strategy, the poorly implemented Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act and the so-called modernization of Land Use Plans.
These (and more, if you can believe it) are creating significant challenges to investment, job creation, and the current viability of business in British Columbia.
We know this firsthand, because we have seen our small businesses suffer both before and after Trump’s tariff blindside. As a coalition of small, local resource sector businesses, we create and maintain family-supporting jobs across the province. We are your family, friends and neighbours who work in the natural resource sector.
Our future prosperity and our independence as a nation require broad acknowledgement that the responsible development of our natural resources is the key to unlocking Canada’s potential. Harnessing B.C.’s natural endowments to unleash our supernatural power is the surest way to Trump-proof our economy.
To be clear, it is not as simple as our political leaders saying we “support” resource development. If those words are not backed by concrete actions, we will remain captive to the whims of the U.S. regardless of who is president.
We need government to be fighting for our place in world markets, recognizing the importance of expeditiously and safely revitalizing B.C.’s resource industries even as we commit strongly to Indigenous reconciliation. This includes our proven world-leading fishing, agriculture, hunting, forestry, and mining and energy production sectors.
This means all levels of government must establish clear objectives when they undertake new land use, environmental and Indigenous reconciliation policies—and commit to ongoing and meaningful consultation with all impacted parties, including Indigenous and local communities, affected industries, businesses and workers.
Governments at all levels must ditch policies and programs that restrict economic development and the quality of life in our province. The impact on future investment, current and future jobs and the vitality of local communities must be considered alongside competing environmental values.
Seagulls can be chased away by hawks—it’s time for British Columbia to become unapologetically hawkish in promoting our supernatural resources to the rest of the world. That starts with pivoting back to our traditional economic strengths—our forestry products, seafood, critical minerals, LNG, amazing tourist offerings and so much more.
The B.C. Resource Sector Coalition includes the BC Cattlemen's Association, the Truck Loggers Association, Deep Sea Trawlers Association, Guide Outfitters Association of BC, Independent Contractors and Businesses Association, Interior Loggers Association, Marine Carriers Association, Northwest Loggers Association, Pacific Prawn Fishermen's Association, Underwater Harvesters Association and Woodlots BC.
