Saskatchewan

'This is a sad day for our country': Premier Brad Wall slams Montreal Mayor

Montreal Mayor Denis Coderre reminded Premier Brad Wall of Montreal and Montreal Metropolitan Community's larger population amid an equalization payment spat.

Montreal Mayor reminds Sask. Premier of Montreal area's larger population, amid equalization payment spat

Montreal Mayor Denis Coderre says the economic benefits of TransCanada Corp.'s proposed Energy East pipeline are paltry when compared with the possible costs of an oil cleanup. (Graham Hughes/Canadian Press)

This morning, Montreal Mayor Denis Coderre shot back at Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall's recent, pointed remarks.

In a public message, Coderre reminded Wall that Montreal and the Montreal Metropolitan Community hold a much larger population than that of the entire province of Saskatchewan.

Coderre's calculated statement serves as a blatant retort to Wall's recent, critical comments on social media.

After news emerged on Thursday that mayors from the entire Montreal area officially opposed the Energy East pipeline project, Premier Wall wrote a condemnatory statement on his public Facebook page.

"This is a sad day for our country," began Wall's post. 

Premier Brad Wall says while oil prices are low, the federal government should consider returning some of the money it gets from the province's taxpayers. (CBC )

"Is it too much to expect that these Quebec municipal leaders would respond to this reality with generous support for a pipeline that supports the very sector that has supported them?" begs the last line of Wall's comment.

Premier Wall wants the federal government to consider returning a portion of the money it is taking from so-called "have" provinces while energy prices are low.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Madeline Kotzer

@MadelineKotzer

Madeline Kotzer is an award-winning Saskatchewan journalist and News Assignment Producer for CBC Saskatchewan and CBC Saskatoon. Reach Madeline at madeline.kotzer@cbc.ca.