Liberal Members of Parliament are gearing up for a national caucus meeting in Edmonton, with a focus on elevating climate change discussions within the political realm. Some MPs are concerned that Prime Minister Mark Carney has not given sufficient attention to green initiatives since taking office. Newly elected Montreal MP Éric St-Pierre, along with Nova Scotia MP Shannon Miedema, have proposed establishing a formal caucus dedicated to addressing climate issues, akin to existing forums for women’s and Indigenous matters.
Following virtual meetings during the summer, St-Pierre announced plans for the inaugural in-person gathering of the caucus in Edmonton, inviting all Liberal MPs to participate. St-Pierre, a climate philanthropy advocate, expressed confidence in Carney’s knowledge of climate change and anticipates forthcoming proposals from the government.
While St-Pierre refrains from criticizing Carney’s environmental record as prime minister, two unnamed MPs believe Carney should emphasize his previous role as a UN special envoy on climate action. They question the absence of climate change discourse despite Carney’s history of championing environmental causes. Carney’s initial action as prime minister to revoke the consumer carbon tax, a signature policy under the Trudeau administration, raised eyebrows among some Liberals.
Quebec MP Alexandra Mendes and former leadership candidate Karina Gould are among those set to attend the environmental caucus meeting to advocate for climate action within Carney’s government. Mendes stressed the significance of environmental issues in her constituency, while Gould emphasized the importance of amplifying voices advocating for climate change action.
While some Liberals favor a stronger emphasis on green initiatives, others support Carney’s balanced approach between energy development and climate change mitigation. Notably, three MPs believe Carney’s current stance aligns with the majority of Canadians. A recent Léger poll revealed that only a small percentage of respondents prioritized the environment as their top concern.
The Prime Minister’s Office did not provide a comment on the matter. However, Jenna Ghassabeh, the Minister of Environment’s director of communications, affirmed Carney’s commitment to combatting climate change and investing in community resilience and environmental programs nationwide.