Despite popular belief, the oil industry welcomes the appointment of Steven Guilbeault as head of the Ministry of the Environment.
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“I might surprise you, but there is a lot of good in this appointment, except for the fact that Mr. Guilbeault is very familiar with environmental issues, including that of climate change,” says Carol Montreuil, vice-president. President of the Canadian Fuels Association for Eastern Canada.
In addition to his expertise in environmental issues, it is Steven Guilbeault’s sense of negotiation that interests the oil industry.
“Those who have known Mr. Guilbeault for a long time know very well that even as an environmentalist, he was someone who could sit down with all the stakeholders, including the industry that we are, so I believe that my colleagues from the he western canada, which knows him less than us in Quebec, will have an advantage and will be pleasantly surprised at the type of person he is, ”he says.
However, Steven Guilbeault wants to end all subsidies to companies that exploit hydrocarbons and fossil fuels, which would represent a setback for oil companies. Despite everything, the vice-president of the Canadian Fuels Association believes that the new Minister of the Environment will work with them to find compromises.
“Politics is the art of the possible. Over the next few years, Mr. Guilbeault is facing extremely important challenges. He will have to sit down, discuss with all the stakeholders and find what are called compromises because, on our side, we want to help preserve the Canadian economy, we also want to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions ” , explains M. Montreuil