Energy minister reluctantly backtracks on climate change

Critics doubt Rickford’s sincerity after he says activity is man-made

Under fire for citing a website that casts doubt on climate change, Energy Minister Greg Rickford now says he believes it’s the result of human activity — but the way he did it is fuelling doubts on whether he believes his own words, critics charge.

Rickford was asked three times by New Democrat MPP Peter Tabuns in the legislature’s daily question period Thursday whether he believes the phenomenon is caused by humans and repeatedly evaded the question, allowing only that “climate change is real.”

Minutes later, he emerged to take questions for the media for the first time since Tuesday. “I believe in climate change and I believe it’s as a consequence of human activity,” he stated tersely before retreating into a nearby government office.

Tabuns said it appeared to be a “tantrum” from Rickford, who has defended his use of the online site Climate Change Dispatch to justify a decision by Premier Doug Ford’s government to cancel more than 750 green energy projects at a cost of $231 million to taxpayers.

“Somebody figured out that this was damaging the Ford government and they pushed him out in front of the cameras so that he can make a statement to make some amends.”

“He has made a total mess of this … he was forced to make a statement that he doesn’t believe in.”

Rickford says the cancellations will save electricity ratepayers $790 million as the government works to keep a promise to reduce hydro rates another 12 per cent.

His behaviour before the TV cameras overshadowed the government’s appointment of an advisory panel on climate change by Environment Minister Jeff Yurek, who on Wednesday took steps to distance himself from Rickford’s reliance on Climate Change

Dispatch, which denies the scientific consensus on climate change.

Green Leader Mike Schreiner told reporters Rickford’s attempt at damage control created the need for more damage control, given he has not acknowledged that quoting from Climate Change Dispatch is questionable at best.

“The premier needs to answer to the fact that he has a minister in charge of energy who doesn’t fully believe climate change is man-made. He’s had multiple opportunities this week and he hasn’t said it,” Schreiner said.

“The bottom line is, you have a government backtracking completely on climate action, suing the federal government to sabotage climate solutions and they have an environment plan that has failed to even launch at this point, so having a minister in charge of energy who is citing junk science is completely irresponsible,” he added.

Asked about the propriety of Rickford quoting a website challenging the scientific consensus on climate change, Ford came to his minister’s defence.

“I don’t doubt it. Neither does he,” the premier told reporters later in the day. “We’re going to do everything we can to fight climate change. It’s a serious issue that the world is facing.”

Yurek said his new advisory panel on climate change will provide “expert” guidance on how the province can implement its strategy, “especially how Ontarians can prepare for the costs and impacts.”

The 10-member panel is chaired by Paul Kovacs, founder and executive director of the Institute for Catastrophic Loss at Western University in London, Ont. Vice-chair Lynn Mader is manager of provincial operations for Ducks Unlimited, overseeing conservation programs.

“The knowledge exists to prevent losses from flooding, wildfire and other climate extremes,” Kovacs said in a statement, noting the panel will “champion climate resilience … to break the alarming trend of rising severe weather damage to homes, businesses and public infrastructure.”