McKenna seeks consensus on climate
Plan can’t cripple Alberta, minister says
OTTAWA — Federal Environment Minister Catherine McKenna says “everything has to be on the table” as the federal government crafts a pan-Canadian climate strategy, but she doesn’t want the plan to cripple energyproducing provinces economically or have the debate turn into a “national unity crisis.”
Alberta Environment Minister Shannon Phillips, who joined McKenna Friday at the Broadbent Institute’s Progress Summit in Ottawa, delivered a similar message and effectively pleaded with Canadians to understand her province’s plight and recognize that Albertans are part of the “Canadian family.”
McKenna said the Liberal government will explore all options, including carbon pricing, to deliver a credible and aggressive plan for reducing greenhouse gas emissions that is expected to be ready by October.
Yet, the federal government can’t be “the hammer” on the climate file and must work with indigenous groups, communities and provinces to achieve buy-in to the plan.
“You can’t just go and do things and assume the federal government knows best. And that’s actually a really good way to split up our country. I don’t want this to be a national unity crisis. I get nervous about the way the conversation sometimes goes, that it’s East versus West, that it’s different groups,” McKenna told hundreds of people gathered at the conference for a panel discussion on climate change.
The federal government’s new climate- change strategy will transition Canada to a low-carbon economy, she said, but it must recognize energy-producing provinces like Alberta are struggling mightily and thousands of people have lost their jobs.
“We can’t do it overnight. I’m a realist on this,” McKenna said. “There are a lot of people who’ve lost jobs in Alberta. I’m not saying that means we destroy our planet. But I think we need to be thoughtful about how we move forward.”
The federal government must rebuild trust in the environmental assessment process, including on pipelines, McKenna said, noting the thought of oil spilling in the waters outside Vancouver is “petrifying” to many people.