Environmentalist David Suzuki has drawn the ire of Alberta Environment Minister Jason Nixon over comments made at a climate rally in B.C.
It happened at an Extinction Rebellion climate protest on Vancouver Island over the weekend.
According to reports, Suzuki said at the rally that “he thinks pipelines will be blown up” if action to prevent climate change is not taken by governments.
He later clarified his statement to CHEK News in Victoria, B.C.
“We’ve come to a time where civil disobedience is what we have to do now — to put our bodies on the line — because if we don’t do this, then I fear what the next stage will be, which will be people will start to blow up pipelines,” he told the outlet.
However, Nixon, who is government house leader in Alberta, brought it up at the legislature Monday.
“This is completely unacceptable and extremely reckless,” Nixon said, adding the destruction of pipelines amounts to eco-terrorism.
“It is statements like this that caused Alberta’s government to bring in Bill 1, the Critical Infrastructure Defense Act,” Nixon said. “We must protect our critical infrastructure, and not allow these ridiculous ideological menaces to destroy what Albertans have worked so hard to create.”
The Alberta politician says Suzuki’s remarks are “despicable” and notes more action is being taken to protect infrastructure in the province in light of the comments. He says Suzuki hates pipelines and hates Alberta, bringing up comments from Suzuki in which he likened working in the province’s oil and gas industry to slavery.
“Talking about extinction, rebellion, and blowing up pipelines,” Nixon said. “Dog whistles like this are inciting environmental terrorism, I will not stand for these kinds of remarks in my province or my country.”
Suzuki tells Postmedia that he “of course” does not support the bombing of pipelines.
The David Suzuki Foundation also took to social media to clarify the circumstances.
“We have been in touch with David: he has confirmed that this comment was NOT a direct threat to destroy fossil fuel infrastructure,” one tweet reads.
The group added that “When David speaks publicly, he speaks on his own behalf – not for the David Suzuki Foundation.”
B.C.’s public safety minister also took some time to address the comments on Monday, saying “I think statements like that are not helpful.”
“I think that’s just not helpful at all,” said Mike Farnworth, adding B.C. takes climate change and action seriously, noting the province has a plan.
“That’s the direction forward, that’s the way we’re going to address climate change. Not by making statements that alarm people or cause concern. I heard that and I thought, ‘that’s not helpful at all.’”
Farnworth added Suzuki’s comments came at a time when “thousands of individuals have been displaced” in B.C. due to catastrophic flooding.
