Commonwealth_ As Canada’s federal election unfolds, the spotlight has shifted dramatically from climate concerns to geopolitical tensions, particularly surrounding US President Donald Trump. Once at the forefront of Canadian political discourse, climate change has taken a back seat as the major parties pivot towards energy infrastructure and national economic resilience. The 2021 federal election marked a moment of consensus between the Liberal and Conservative parties over the urgent need for a green transition. A net-zero emissions law passed that June reinforced this shared direction. However, in the 2025 race, that unity has dissolved. The two main contenders now offer sharply contrasting visions for Canada’s energy future.
Mark Carney, who assumed leadership of the Liberal Party and became Prime Minister in March, has positioned himself as a global climate advocate. His resume includes serving as the Governor of the Bank of England and acting as the UN Special Envoy on Climate Action and Finance. He also co-chaired the Glasgow Financial Alliance for Net Zero, a major outcome of the COP26 summit. Despite these credentials, Carney made headlines by repealing the consumer carbon tax, one of the Liberal government’s hallmark climate policies, soon after taking office. The carbon tax, introduced in 2019, aimed to discourage the use of fossil fuels among consumers by adding surcharges to coal, oil, and gas usage. Though aligned with climate goals, it faced mounting opposition as Canadians grappled with rising living expenses. The Conservative Party, under Pierre Poilievre, leveraged public dissatisfaction by branding Carney as “Carbon Tax Carney,” blaming him for economic hardships.
Poilievre, meanwhile, is campaigning to revive Canada’s oil and gas sector and eliminate the industrial carbon tax entirely. His platform prioritizes affordability and energy security, even at the expense of the country’s climate commitments. This stance resonates with a public more concerned about inflation, energy costs, and housing affordability than about long-term environmental goals. Opinion polls since late 2023 reflect this shift in voter sentiment. Climate change has fallen behind economic and social concerns. The war in Ukraine has only heightened Canada’s strategic value as a reliable source of oil, gas, and critical minerals. International partners have expressed strong interest in Canadian resources as alternatives to Russian supplies, placing additional pressure on policymakers to bolster conventional energy production.
Carney’s current approach attempts to balance pragmatism with ambition. His campaign proposes transforming Canada into a global energy superpower by advancing both green and conventional energy projects. However, critics argue his platform lacks specificity. Though it mentions fast-tracking renewable energy initiatives, improving green infrastructure, and investing in carbon capture technology, details remain sparse.
Environmental advocates, such as Catherine Abreu of the International Climate Politics Hub, have criticized Carney’s rollback of the carbon levy. She argues that this move concedes ground to narratives portraying climate policy as economically burdensome, potentially undermining Canada’s leadership in climate action.
The environmental cost of inaction is already visible. In 2024 alone, the Insurance Bureau of Canada reported C$8.5 billion in weather-related insured losses—a figure three times higher than the previous year. Despite this, energy remains a central theme of the election, with fossil fuels taking a dominant role. The Bloc Québécois, led by Yves-François Blanchet, remains a vocal critic of this direction. Blanchet accuses both leading parties of climate denial, arguing that concepts like “clean oil and gas” are misleading. His skepticism underscores the growing disconnect between campaign rhetoric and Canada’s international environmental obligations.
Canada has pledged to reduce carbon emissions by 40–45% from their 2005 levels by 2030. Yet as of 2023, emissions had only fallen by 8.5%, highlighting the gap between ambition and achievement. With the federal election looming, the challenge for Canada lies in reconciling short-term political gains with long-term climate responsibility.
