No 'secret agenda': New environment minister responds to Kenney, Notley concerns
Canada's new minister of the environment and climate change responded Wednesday to allegations out of Alberta that he is a "radical environmentalist" who may try to kill jobs in the oilpatch.
Steven Guilbeault, formerly a leader of Greenpeace Quebec and co-founder of Equiterre, was appointed to the position by prime minister Justin Trudeau Tuesday.
A day later, Guilbeault insisted he doesn't have a "secret agenda," saying most of the Liberal government's goals and policies are already known.
"We put a price on pollution, and we will continue to increase this price on pollution. We want more transit, we want more clean energy, we want more renewable energy, and we want less pollution," he told reporters.
Criticism of the appointment came from Alberta Premier Jason Kenney and NDP Leader Rachel Notley, in a rare moment of agreement for the political rivals.
Kenney said he was worried Guilbeault would impose a "radical agenda that would lead to mass unemployment."
"I hope that he will send a signal that he is willing to work constructively and cooperatively with us, as partners, in reducing greenhouse gas emissions while growing the economy," Kenney said.
NDP Leader Rachel Notley agreed with Kenney, before quickly adding it's his government's job to sell Alberta's industry and environmental initiatives.
"I share some of the concerns about some of the historical positions taken by (Guilbeault) in the past, some of his anti-pipeline commentary, that is certainly troubling," she said.
Alberta Environment Minister Jason Nixon called Guilbeault a "radical environmentalist" and invited him to come out west so he can see Alberta oil and gas operations for himself.
GUILBEAULT OPEN TO MEETINGS IN ALBERTA
The new federal minister said he was open to travelling to Alberta and promised to work with "anyone in the country" to fight climate change.
Guilbeault said he doesn't plan to cap oil and gas production, but the Liberal government will cap the pollution it and other industries cause.
The new minister pointed out he publicly applauded Notley's 2016 climate plan that phased out coal, introduced a carbon tax and imposed a cap on carbon emissions in the oilsands.
"We have to reduce fossil fuel emissions, all emissions," he said.
"How different companies decide to go about doing that will need to be defined, but we're not trying to cap production."
Both Equiterre and Guilbeault were mentioned in Alberta's Allan inquiry that recently looked into allegations that environmentalists were accepting foreign money to fund campaigns aimed at impeding expansion of Alberta's oilsands.
The inquiry found Canadian environmental groups were exercising their democratic rights of free speech when they accepted foreign funding for campaigns opposing oilsands development, which the Alberta government has coloured wrong despite not being illegal.
Equiterre, the report's commissioner wrote, sought to "frustrate" oilsands development.
Guilbeault left Equiterre in 2018.
The new minister said one of his first assignments was to attend an upcoming UN Climate Change Conference in Scotland.
Some environmental groups applauded Guilbeault's appointment.
With files from CTV News Edmonton's Chelan Skulski and The Canadian Press
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Widow looking for answers after Quebec man dies in Texas Ironman competition
The widow of a Quebec man who died competing in an Ironman competition is looking for answers.
Tom Mulcair: Park littered with trash after 'pilot project' is perfect symbol of Trudeau governance
Former NDP leader Tom Mulcair says that what's happening now in a trash-littered federal park in Quebec is a perfect metaphor for how the Trudeau government runs things.
World seeing near breakdown of international law amid wars in Gaza and Ukraine, Amnesty says
The world is seeing a near breakdown of international law amid flagrant rule-breaking in Gaza and Ukraine, multiplying armed conflicts, the rise of authoritarianism and huge rights violations in Sudan, Ethiopia and Myanmar, Amnesty International warned Wednesday as it published its annual report.
Photographer alleges he was forced to watch Megan Thee Stallion have sex and was unfairly fired
A photographer who worked for Megan Thee Stallion said in a lawsuit filed Tuesday that he was forced to watch her have sex, was unfairly fired soon after and was abused as her employee.
Amid concerns over 'collateral damage' Trudeau, Freeland defend capital gains tax change
Facing pushback from physicians and businesspeople over the coming increase to the capital gains inclusion rate, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his deputy Chrystia Freeland are standing by their plan to target Canada's highest earners.
U.S. Senate passes bill forcing TikTok's parent company to sell or face ban, sends to Biden for signature
The Senate passed legislation Tuesday that would force TikTok's China-based parent company to sell the social media platform under the threat of a ban, a contentious move by U.S. lawmakers that's expected to face legal challenges.
Wildfire southwest of Peace River spurs evacuation order
People living near a wildfire burning about 15 kilometres southwest of Peace River are being told to evacuate their homes.
U.S. Senate overwhelmingly passes aid for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan with big bipartisan vote
The U.S. Senate has passed US$95 billion in war aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, sending the legislation to President Joe Biden after months of delays and contentious debate over how involved the United States should be in foreign wars.
'My stomach dropped': Winnipeg man speaks out after being criminally harassed following single online date
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.