Contents of the article
OTTAWA – Just hours after the federal government signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) In Alberta, Canada's former environment minister and prominent environmental activist has resigned from cabinet.
Contents of the article
Late Thursday night in Ottawa, it became known that Canada's Minister of Identity and Culture Stephen Guilbeault will resign from Mark Carney's cabinet. The move reportedly came after an “honest and frank” conversation with the Prime Minister over Federal Government Memorandum of Understanding.
Contents of the article
In a statement posted on social media, Guilbeault said he entered politics to “support the fight against climate change and protection of the environment,” adding that Canada, under the leadership of former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, has made “historic progress” in reducing climate pollution and protecting nature.
“Despite this difficult economic context, I remain one of those for whom environmental issues must remain at the forefront,” Guilbeault said in a statement. “That’s why I am strongly opposed to the memorandum of understanding between the federal government and the Alberta government.”
Agreement between Alberta federal government is 'a serious mistake'
Guilbeault said the MOU does not involve any consultation with the British Columbia government or the province's First Nations, and any pipeline to the West Coast would “significantly increase the risk of accidents in the region.”
He also criticized the Memorandum's intent to exclude Alberta from clean electricity rules, calling it a “serious mistake.”
And he took issue with Mark Carney's Liberals “dismantling” a number of his key initiatives, including eliminating consumer carbon pricing and suspending a ban on internal combustion engines in Canada.
Guilbault will remain with the party and will continue to represent his team in Montreal.
Contents of the article
Thursday's news came a day after Ottawa news outlets reported that Guilbeault, who is reportedly unhappy with the federal government's supposed renewed interest in oil and gas pipelines, would not consider leaving cabinet in what represents a 180-degree turn from Trudeau-era environmental policies that Alberta Premier Danielle Smith said was holding back energy investment in her office.
Read more
Famous environmental activist once climbed the CN Tower
Guilbault, originally from La Touquet in north-central Quebec, was a prominent environmental activist before taking office.
Contents of the article
He is the co-founder of an environmental organization that will eventually become known as Equiterra, and he joined Greenpeace in 1997, becoming head of its climate change office.
Guilbeault has participated in a number of press events on behalf of Greenpeace, including climbing the CN Tower in 2001 to unfurl a banner criticizing the US and Canadian governments for not ratifying the Kyoto Accords.
Under Liberal leadership, Guilbault won the nomination of Laurier-Sainte-Marie in the 2019 federal election and ran the Canadian heritage portfolio before being appointed environment minister in 2021, a position he held until he was demoted to Minister of Canadian Culture and Identity, Parks Canada and Quebec's lieutenant from Prime Minister Mark Carney in March.
Share this article on your social network
