(Ottawa) The new Minister of the Environment Steven Guilbeault says he has “no secret agenda” that he intends to implement to accelerate the fight against climate change.
Speaking at the end of the first cabinet meeting unveiled by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Mr. Guilbeault said that the Liberal government’s environmental plan “has been clear” for a long time and that the new measures that will be implemented to increase the pace were disclosed during the election campaign.
“I have no secret agenda as Minister of the Environment,” said Mr. Guilbeault, a few hours before flying to Glasgow where he will participate in the United Nations conference on climate change. , COP26.
During the election campaign, Justin Trudeau’s Liberals notably promised to end subsidies to the oil industry in 2023, two years earlier than agreed by G20 member countries.
The Liberals also announced their intention to impose a cap on the oil industry on greenhouse gas emissions.
Mr. Guilbeault thus tried to calm the political storm in Alberta caused by his appointment. Premier Jason Kenney has argued his arrival at the helm of the Department of the Environment is “problematic” and threatens to worsen the already strained relationship between Ottawa and Alberta.
“If Mr. Guilbeault follows the policies he supported as an activist, it would be a disaster for the Canadian economy,” said Mr. Kenney, during a press conference Tuesday, shortly after the unveiling of the federal cabinet.
“I do hope, however, that he will take a constructive and reasonable approach to working with Alberta, the other provinces and the natural resources industry,” he added.
In front of reporters, Mr. Guilbeault said he was ready to meet the premier of Alberta, saying that Ottawa and the provinces must work together to counter the effects of climate change looming on the horizon.
“All Canadians from coast to coast to coast want all governments, not just the federal government, to do more to fight climate change. The oil companies themselves recognize that more must be done and several of them have already committed to achieving carbon neutrality by 2050, ”the Minister argued.
“I am disappointed Premier Kenney will not be meeting in Glasgow. Other prime ministers will be there. But I’m ready to sit down with Premier Kenney and any other prime minister to discuss ways we can work together in this fight, ”he added.
His predecessor in the Environment, Jonathan Wilkinson, who is now Minister of Natural Resources, came to the defense of Mr. Guilbeault, describing him as a “pragmatic” person.
“My experience of working with Minister Guilbeault over the past two years has shown me that he is a very pragmatic and thoughtful man. I think Mr. Kenney should calm things down a bit and sit down with Mr. Guilbeault and have a conversation with him, ”he commented.
In Ottawa, the Conservative Party also denounced the appointment of Mr. Guilbeault because of his past as a former “radical” environmental activist. Conservative MP Pierre Poilievre argued that this is bad news for the country’s economic outlook.