Trudeau joins wrong side in climate debate

DEAR EDITOR:

U.S. President Joe Biden made some big moves in support of bold climate action immediately after stepping into office.

Within hours of his inauguration, he passed executive orders to return the United States to the Paris Climate Accord, suspend all new oil and gas drilling permits on federal land, and cancel the Keystone XL pipeline.

Clearly, Biden is eager to course correct the United States after four years of Donald Trump’s climate denial and profossil fuel agenda. This should be something that our self-proclaimed climate leader of a prime minister should support.

Instead, Justin Trudeau announced that he was “disappointed” by Biden’s actions, aligning himself closer with dangerous politicians like Donald Trump and Alberta Premier Jason Kenney.

If Trudeau wants to demonstrate true climate leadership he has to choose a different side. Canada has an opportunity to work with the United States to forge a new path on climate action.

Canadian politicians should look forward and deliver a better vision for the future.

The Keystone XL cancellation signals that the fossil-fuel era is ending.

Trudeau could mark this moment by delivering on the Just Transition Act he promised in 2019.

Workers need government action to support them through the transition to a green economy. Let’s get to work on making it happen with a Just Transition Act.

Frank Martens,

Summerland