Ex-environment minister Steven Guilbeault says Canada is ‘backsliding’ on climate action as he announced Wednesday that he is leaving his job as an MP.
In a candid interview with CBC’s Power and Politics, Guilbeault elaborated on why he decided to leave, how the Alberta energy deal impacted his decision and why it could further fan the flames of separation in Quebec.
Guilbeault told host David Cochrane that he started thinking about leaving politics after Prime Minister Mark Carney and Alberta Premier Danielle Smith inked a major energy accord and a commitment to advance a West Coast pipeline late last year.
At that time he took the drastic step of resigning from cabinet, but remained in the Liberal caucus.
In a speech to the House of Commons, former environment minister Steven Guilbeault announced he will be resigning as a Liberal MP, stepping away from his seat later this summer. ‘The struggle for our planet is defining for a generation and I will continue to fight,’ he said.
Guilbeault stuck with the party, he said, because he wanted to see if the Alberta memorandum of understanding could be salvaged and if he could make change outside cabinet and inside the caucus.
Reflecting on those six months sitting on the Liberal backbenches, Guilbeault said he was able to influence several initiatives. He cited the Carney government’s enhanced nature strategy and the $5.3-billion commitment to international climate financial assistance at a time when other wealthy countries were backing away from the policy.
But he said the continuing Alberta energy negotiations did not set well with him, and that he wasn’t alone in that sentiment.
On Wednesday Guilbeault told his party and his Montreal constituents that he is resigning as an MP because he intends to take his fight for the environment outside of government.
“This decision is the result of careful consideration,” he said in a social media post.
“After almost seven years as a member of Parliament and minister, I have come to the conclusion that it is time for me to pursue my fight for environmental protection and the fight against climate change in a different way.”
Guilbeault delivered the news to fellow Liberal MPs as they gathered for their weekly parliamentary caucus meeting.
Liberal MP and longtime environmental activist Steven Guilbeault has resigned his seat, saying he plans to continue his fight for the environment outside of government. He will remain a Liberal MP until Parliament breaks for the summer.
He will remain a Liberal MP until the House of Commons rises for the summer, but delivered what could be his last major speech in the House on Wednesday afternoon.
His voicing was breaking as he shared his gratitude for his children, family, staff, constituents and volunteers, whom, he said, made his work possible.
“You gave me far more than I can ever give back,” he said.
‘Rewarding bad behavior’
Guilbeault said Canada “will be lucky” to slash its emissions by 15 per cent below 2005 levels by 2030 under its current policies.
He said that through the negotiations with Alberta, the federal government relinquished one of the strongest tools it has to fight climate change — industrial carbon pricing.
“With [last week’s] agreement with Alberta we postponed by 10 years the level of ambition we had for industrial carbon pricing,” Guilbeault said.
When he was environment minister, Guilbeault renegotiated a new carbon pricing system in Alberta, but Smith never implemented it.
“I’m skeptical that she will this time around. She has not proven to be a reliable partner on these issues,” he said.
- Just Asking wants to know: What questions do you have about Mark Carney’s record on the environment? Send us your questions before our Saturday show.
Before the interview with Power and Politics wrapped up, Guilbeault laid into the argument the Alberta deal was necessary to dampen growing sentiments that the province should leave Canada.
“What we are doing right now is we are rewarding bad behaviour,” he said. “I am hoping what we are doing in Alberta won’t have some effect to encourage separatist movement in Quebec.”
Guilbeault added this is something that the federal government should keep in mind.
Prime Minister Mark Carney thanked Guilbeault for his contributions, listing his efforts to protect the environment and other accomplishments while in government.
“He helped establish the 2022 Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework to protect 30 per cent of Canada’s lands and waters, implemented Canada’s first emissions reduction plan and championed landmark efforts to protect Canadian culture and identity, including establishing the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation,” Carney said in a statement.
In anticipation of Liberal MP Steven Guilbeault’s expected resignation on Wednesday, Prime Minister Mark Carney thanked the former environment minister for his service. Sources told CBC that Guilbeault, a prominent environmental activist, is quitting the Liberals after a series of moves under Carney’s leadership to roll back key pillars of Canada’s climate and environmental policy.
Liberals over the last 24 hours acknowledged how much of a loss the departure was.
“I would be sad to see him go,” said Jaime Battiste, a Nova Scotian Liberal MP.
But Battiste and other MPs brushed aside questions about whether Wednesday’s exit was a sign the Liberal tent could no longer accommodate climate activists like Guilbeault.
“I don’t believe that is the case. I believe you have the ability to walk into that caucus, go to the mic and speak about anything,” he said.
“I would reject any premise that [Guilbeault] doesn’t have the ability to be heard.”
The Liberals under Carney have repealed the consumer carbon tax, eliminated the EV sales mandate, signalled the end of the oil and gas emissions cap and reversed the Liberal promise to end fossil fuel subsidies.
In response to Prime Minister Mark Carney’s energy announcements over the last two weeks, Green Party Leader Elizabeth May said ‘we see a constant effort to roll back environmental protections and climate action — no wonder Steven Guilbeault is leaving this place.’
“Take all of this together and you see a constant effort to roll back environmental protections and climate action,” said Green Party Leader Elizabeth May, who was referring to recent proposed changes to environmental reviews.
“No wonder Stephen Guilbeault is leaving this place. I am heartbroken that he is.”
While speaking with reporters, Carney left the door open to working with Guilbeault in some capacity. The prime minister also defended his government’s efforts to protect the environment, saying in French that Canada is protecting nature while advancing international climate finance.
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Guilbeault is not the only Liberal who is uncomfortable with the direction Carney is taking the country’s climate policies.
Fourteen Liberal MPs penned a letter to Carney raising concerns over what they see as an environmental backslide. Despite signing their names at the bottom of the letter, the MPs do not want to be publicly identified, stating that their approach is intended to be constructive and respectful.
Asked on Power and Politics if he was among the signees, Guilbeault said “you can assume that.”
