P.E.I. should be 'voice of reason' as premiers discuss rail blockades, Bevan-Baker says

As premiers across the country prepared for a conference call to discuss the ongoing Wet'suwet'en standoff, the leader of P.E.I.'s Official Opposition said he hoped the province's premier would bring to the discussion "the same sort of generous, conciliatory approach" he's brought to Island politics.

A spokesperson for Dennis King said the premier wouldn't discuss the call until after it took place. It was scheduled for 5 p.m. AT.

"We are continuing to assess the potential impacts the CN rail disruption is having on the movement of goods to and from our province," the spokesperson said in an email. The premier "hopes for a quick resolution to the current situation and a purposeful path forward."

But Opposition Leader Peter Bevan-Baker said the call provided an opportunity for P.E.I. to sit as an "equal partner" around the table and advocate for a position that emphasizes reconciliation.

"Some people have said the country's being held to ransom, but in honesty the country is being held to account for 150 years of neglect, and not having those difficult conversations that we have to have," Bevan-Baker said, suggesting that meaningful reconciliation has been put off by successive Canadian governments.

"Reconciliation is going to be hard. It's going to be extremely hard. But we cannot back away from these discussions anymore because … this is going to keep happening unless we have those proper conversations."

Moe convening conference call

Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe announced on Twitter Tuesday evening he was convening the conference call to discuss "the illegal rail blockades and the federal government's inaction."

Moe is currently chair of the Council of the Federation, a group made up of the 13 provincial and territorial premiers.

As the issue dominated debate in Ottawa Wednesday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said his government is working hard to resolve the two-week long Indigenous blockade that has led to hundreds of layoffs at CN Rail and disrupted the flow of essential goods across the country.

Bevan-Baker characterized comments from some federal Conservatives as "dog-whistle politics."

Last week, federal Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer said protesters "need to check their privilege." On Twitter Tuesday, leadership hopeful Peter MacKay referred to "a small gang of professional protesters and thugs."

'Voice of compassion'

"We do not need to be further inflaming things using language which is not helpful to reconciliation," Bevan-Baker said.

"I think Mr. King has the ability to be a voice of compassion…. I think he would be able to, to a certain extent, douse that [inflammatory language] and be a voice of reason and calm around the table."

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