Gondek ‘frustrated’ over timing of Trudeau’s resignation, decision to prorogue Parliament

Calgary’s mayor is expressing some frustration with the timing of the Canadian prime minister’s decision to step down and suspend parliament.

Mayor Jyoti Gondek voiced her concerns on Tuesday after Justin Trudeau announced a day earlier he would be stepping down as leader of the Liberal party.

Trudeau also asked the governor general to prorogue parliament until March 24 — a move the mayor says should have been more carefully considered.

“Calgary is the economic engine, not only of this province, but of this country,” said Gondek. “To not even consider us or any other major municipality when you prorogue a government is shameful.”

Trudeau’s Liberals have been in flux for some time, and political pundits began questioning the Prime Minister’s leadership stemming from weeks of turmoil, none more evident than Chrystia Freeland’s sudden resignation in mid-December.

The Conservatives were expected to introduce a non-confidence motion at the public accounts committee next week. However, proroguing Parliament wipes clear the current slate of legislation and delays opportunities for non-confidence votes that could trigger an election.

Gondek says the move to prorogue could have major implications on the future of Calgary’s Green Line.

“We only have until the 31st of March, as our final day to access the funds that were committed to the Green Line,” says Gondek. “So I don’t know that this was well thought through.”

The $6.2-billion project has funding commitments from the city, province and the federal government.

Calgary city council voted to wind down the project in September after the province said it would pull its $1.53 billion in funding without a major project overhaul. 

Weeks later, after discussions with council, the province recommitted funding and both sides agreed to a December deadline for decisions on re-alignment.

Gondek says she also has concerns about what could happen if municipalities need federal support over the next few months. She pointed to last summer when Calgarians were asked to do their part and conserve water while crews worked to repair a major water main break.

Last summer, Calgarians were asked to do their part and conserve water while crews worked to repair a major water main break.

“If we need to rely on the federal government for support, if anything happens to any municipality, I don’t know what the plan is,” she says. “None of us know what the plan is for anything moving forward from here.”

Gondek says regardless of who wins the next federal election, that party needs to understand that relationships with all municipalities are critical. 

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith expressed similar discontent with Trudeau’s decisions on Monday, saying he should have instead called an election.

In comments posted to social media, she said Canadians deserve a prime minister and federal government with a clear voter mandate to negotiate with incoming U.S. President Donald Trump and his administration in what she called “the most important international negotiations we have ever faced as a country.”

The next federal election is slated for October but could happen sooner.