Environment Minister Phillips says polarized debate hindering climate action
Posted Sep 20, 2016 12:09 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Alberta’s environment minister says the highly polarized debate about action on climate change is a distraction from finding solutions.
Speaking to a full house at the Pembina Climate Summit in Calgary Tuesday, Shannon Phillips said the political right in Alberta can barely conceal their contempt for Premier Notley and her government.
She said the opposition will argue that now is not the right time for action in the upcoming legislature session and would overturn climate commitments if given the chance.
Phillips’s speech comes as the province moves ahead with an ambitious agenda including phasing out coal-fired power plants, capping oilsands emissions and introducing a carbon tax.
All opposition members voted against the NDP government’s legislation in July that established the carbon price and other climate actions.
Wildrose Opposition leader Brian Jean said at the time that the plan was too costly for Albertans.
