its commitment to action on climate change and energy transition,” Lisa Young, a political scientist at the University of Calgary, said. “This might be his last chance [for the Prime Minister] to really move on some policy issues… The strategy here seems to be gradually cornering the industry in order to reduce its relative importance to the Canadian economy.”
Nevertheless, Guilbeault’s appointment attracted criticism in the oil-rich province of Alberta, which has been long a bedrock of support for conservative parties. Prior to his involvement in politics, the new minister worked for environment advocacy groups for more than a decade, and according to Alberta Premier Jason Kenney, this conveys a “very problematic” signal.
“[Guilbeault’s] background and track record on these issues suggest somebody who is more of an absolutist than a pragmatist when it comes to finding solutions,” Kenney noted.
The new nomination also did not sit well with a few other states, including Canada’s oil capital Calgary, where governance and economic development expert Heather Exner-Pirot noted that in Guilbeault, PM Trudeau could not have picked “a more perfect villain”. “This sends a chilling signal to potential investors who might have been interested in investing in Canada,” Exner-Pirot, who is a fellow at the Macdonald-Laurier Institute in Calgary, added.
