Rob Shaw: “He wants a blank cheque to do anything he wants.”

B.C.'s David Eby proposes draconian legislation to respond to Donald Trump

By: Rob Shaw

VICTORIA — B.C. Premier David Eby has called American tariffs economic warfare, likened them to the Second World War and asked British Columbians to summon the strength they used to fight the Nazis to push back against U.S. President Donald Trump. So when he tabled sweeping new legislation to give himself wartime powers last week, it was no surprise he continued the war-era metaphors.

“We don't want this fight. We didn't sign up for it. But that doesn't mean we're not going to arm ourselves,” he said.

The armament in this case is Bill 7, the Economic Stabilization (Tariff Response) Act — the most extraordinary piece of legislation tabled in this province since the Second World War.

It circumvents the legislature for more than two years, allowing the premier to change any law or regulation simply by signing a cabinet order. He can create new financial penalties, programs and policies without legislative approval, as well as impose penalties enforceable by the courts, and gather whatever personal information he wants, for whatever use he considers necessary.

“These are obviously nightmare scenarios, but unfortunately, this is a nightmare, and it's going to last four years, and we're going to be prepared for whatever comes,” said Eby.

The bill authorizes the premier to do almost anything under the guise of protecting B.C.’s economy from any anticipated foreign harm. The only limits proposed are that the orders can’t block First Nations consultation or environmental reviews on natural resource project approvals.

“Living with the Americans is, like what the senior Trudeau said, it's like living beside an elephant,” said Eby. “It’s a big powerful country and every twitch affects us. And right now the beast is coming at us full speed.”

No other Canadian province has gone this far — yet, anyway. Eby, who admits he’s more like Ontario Premier Doug Ford in his bombastic rhetoric and penchant for aggressive moves, said every province is playing a role.
“I would say Premier (Danielle) Smith has been engaging in a good-cop approach, she's been down there in the United States meeting with people,” said Eby.

“Doug Ford has been aggressive on the front lines, pushing back. All different kinds of approaches are being taken. I would say that they have all been singularly ineffective because the president wants to impose the tariffs, and he wants to annex Canada, and he wants our water, and he wants Greenland and he wants the Panama Canal.

“And the idea of logic with someone who wakes up and takes this approach and tanks his own economy in the face of the outcry from the American people, who now feel the lowest consumer confidence since 2022, is very hard to negotiate with.”

One of the first uses of the bill, if passed, will be to levy fines on American supply trucks en route to Alaska, said Eby.

The threat has prompted outrage from Alaska politicians.

“Two can play this game,” Alaska Republican Senator Dan Sullivan told a local radio show last week.

“Canada, you don’t want to mess with Alaska. And if you do, we are going to work hard on having our cruise ships bypass your ports, and that will help our economy tremendously.

“They’re playing a dangerous game here, and I hope they back down.”

Eby also finds himself facing the threat of legal challenges and opposition back home, with many critics calling the bill undemocratic and a dangerous precedent. Opposition leader John Rustad described it as a power grab by a New Democrat premier who came within 22 votes of losing his majority government in the provincial election just five months ago.

At the time, Eby promised to redouble efforts to bring people along with his government’s decision making. Now, he’s left people behind entirely.

"The kind of bizarre thing about this is, when you look at Bill 7, what David Eby is actually proposing is more draconian power than even Donald Trump,” Rustad told the Vancouver Sun.

“He wants a blank cheque to do anything he wants.”

Critics say it’s unacceptable to have two leaders overreaching on executive authority, signing duelling orders while totally bypassing the elected branches of their government. Eby said he needs the authority to be nimble, to respond in real time, and to keep up with the president. After the two-year sunset clause, his orders will expire.

“What we're doing is making sure that we have all of the tools in place as part of a coordinated effort in the event that Donald Trump takes the dramatic step of putting a 25-per-cent tariff on all Canadian goods across the border, or some other draconian and terrible and short-sighted and foolish thing to do, whatever he wakes up in the morning and issues some executive order about,” said Eby.

And even if the president doesn’t follow through with tariffs, the premier said he wants the authority there just in case.

“One thing is clear for British Columbia, we can never leave ourselves again to be in the position of being at the whim of one person in the White House,” said Eby.

But in the process, British Columbians are now at the whim of one person in the premier’s office as well.

Rob Shaw has spent more than 17 years covering B.C. politics. He now reports for CHEK News out of Victoria. He’s the co-author of the national bestselling book A Matter of Confidence, host of the weekly podcast and YouTube show Political Capital, and the weekly political correspondent for CBC Radio’s All Points West and Radio West programs. You can reach him at rob@robshawnews.com.

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