Alberta Premier Urges Trudeau to Replace Environment Minister Guilbeault
Following Ottawa’s announcement of a regulatory framework to cap oil and gas emissions, Alberta Premier Danielle Smith is calling for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to “replace” Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault. “The attitude that Minister Guilbeault has taken towards our province is absolutely unacceptable,” Ms. Smith said during a press conference on Dec. 7. She further stated, “I quite frankly hope that Justin Trudeau replaces this minister. He’s a menace. He’s a menace to us. He’s a menace to national unity.”
Hours before Ms. Smith’s remarks, Mr. Guilbeault announced that the oil and gas sector needs to lower emissions by 35 to 38 percent below 2019 levels. According to the new policy, the energy sector will also be able to buy a limited number of carbon offset credits or contribute to a decarbonization fund, which would lower that requirement to a 20 to 23 percent reduction in emissions. Minister Guilbeault had said, “No one should be allowed unlimited pollution. It harms our health and environment. We put a cap on it.” The Alberta premier called the announcement a “de facto production cap on Alberta’s oil and gas sector” and an “intentional attack by the federal government on the economy of Alberta and the financial well-being of millions of Albertans and Canadians.”
The Alberta premier told reporters that her cabinet would develop a “constitutional shield in response to this and other recent attacks on our province by what is fast becoming one of the most damaging federal administrations in Canadian history.” However, she noted that her administration aims to maintain positive relations with certain federal ministers, such as Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry François-Philippe Champagne.
Ms. Smith said that the disrespectful attitude shown by Mr. Guilbeault resulted in an unproductive conversation at COP28 in Dubai, where the latter reportedly required signing a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) to view plans. Mr. Guilbeault, meanwhile, previously accused the premier of “choosing to create fear and uncertainty over collaboration” after she invoked the sovereignty act. Relative to the history of her interactions with the minister, the Alberta premier said she hoped to find common ground with more reasonable ministers to mitigate washout conversations by the environment minister.
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