Opposition Liberals called on new Environment Minister Peter Kent to make a clean break with the Harper government’s failed environmental record today.
“Mr. Kent is following in the footsteps of failure,” said Gerard Kennedy, Liberal Environment Critic. “Will he provide fresh air to a ministry in trouble, or is he just another mouthpiece who will try to greenwash his government’s abominable environmental record?”
By finally appointing a full-time Environment Minister yesterday in Peter Kent, Stephen Harper ended part-time custody of the ministry under John Baird by naming his government’s fifth environment minister in as many years, the Opposition Liberals said today.
“The health of Canadians and our children’s natural heritage has suffered from five years of environmental neglect by the Harper government,” said Mr. Kennedy. “It’s clear that the utter lack of political will to make environmental progress comes directly from the Prime Minister.”
In the last three months alone, the Harper government attained international ignominy as it was singled out for obstructionism on international climate change and biodiversity efforts. In December, the government was forced to finally admit that it had failed in its responsibility to monitor the environmental impacts of oil sands developments. In early January the United States started to regulate its heavy industries for carbon emissions, but the long promised corresponding Canadian action was nowhere to be seen.
“After five years, the government has failed to provide Canadians with a clear national vision on water,” said Liberal Water Critic Francis Scarpaleggia. “There is little evidence it will do so now with a minister who has little background or obvious interest in the complexities of sustainable development, including the relationship between water and climate change.”
Almost alone among OECD countries, the Harper government has made few investments in the sustainable development and clean energy economy. Energy conservation programs were cut last April and environmental assessments weakened in two successive budgets.
“Is Mr. Kent going to be a real environment minister sent in to clean up the many messes in his file, or is he simply going to duck the issues like the four ministers who preceded him?” asked Mr. Kennedy. “Mr. Kent is a bit of a blank slate when it comes to the environment, with no background on the issue. His few pronouncements thus far follow the party line to the comma – so the early signals are not good.”
The last time Peter Kent commented on climate change was to pour cold water on the Copenhagen climate summit, saying a month in advance of the summit that the chances of a global agreement were a “long shot.”
“Unlike his predecessors, Mr. Kent won’t have the luxury of the benefit of the doubt from Canadians for long,” concluded Mr. Kennedy. “Canadians now understand there is a big gap between the Harper Conservatives and their own needs in protecting the environment.”
