Trudeau tried to exorcise family ghosts out west. His own spectre may linger

ranks of the federal Liberals in Calgary, he sees a distinction between the lingering animosity toward the Trudeaus and what he sees as a more fleeting dislike for Justin.

“I think there was a recognition that the NEP was a pretty big deal and a direct threat to the economic well-being of the province,” he said. “I think there’s a difference today. People are angry because the economy is bad, but I think it’s more about the economy being bad, rather than a direct policy attack.”

That economic argument carries weight in a province that has long been dependent on oil, and where that industry has been hit hard by global market forces. But it’s also a province where the transition away from fossil fuels is a growing concern — and where the Trudeau government’s climate policies can seem like a direct threat to the way of life for many.

The bitterness toward Trudeau in Alberta is real, but so is the complexity of the issues at play. The question now is whether that bitterness will linger for generations, as it did with Pierre Trudeau, or if it will fade as the political landscape shifts and new challenges emerge.

For now, the F–k Trudeau bumper stickers and flags flying around Alberta may be a symbol of that bitterness, but they are also a reminder of the passion and intensity of political debate in a province that has long been at the center of Canada’s energy economy. And as Justin Trudeau continues to navigate the rocky road of Canadian politics, he will have to contend with that bitterness — and the challenges it presents — for as long as he remains in office.