Peter Kent, a former broadcaster and current MP for Thornhill, Ontario, was appointed to the position of Canada’s Environment Minister by Prime Minister Stephen Harper in a cabinet shuffle announced this morning.

“It seems clear that Harper wants an Environment Minister who will read off his teleprompter,” said Wilderness Committee campaigner Ben West. “Picking a former TV broadcaster with no connection to environmental issues sends the message that Harper is planning to prioritize political spin over substantive action on climate change and other important environmental issues,” said West.

“Western Canada continues to be left out of this important portfolio even though many of Canada’s biggest environmental issues are in the West,” said Gwen Barlee, Policy Coordinator for the Wilderness Committee. “Fish farms, oil tankers, protection of biodiversity and the tar sands are all issues that are substantially connected to western Canada yet once again an Ontario MP is heading up this portfolio and this is a disappointment,” said Barlee.

As Environment Minister Kent will be responsible for following through on a number of outstanding issues such as endangered species legislation, which has been the focus of major court cases in recent months.

“Unfortunately, this shuffle doesn’t appear to signal a shift in this government’s abysmal approach to the environment,” said Barlee. “This is the fifth environment minister in five years but meaningful action on the environment has been missing in action for all of them,” said Barlee.

After the resignation of former Environment Minister Jim Prentice, media reports based on Wikileaks cables revealed that Prentice was concerned about Canada’s international image in light of inaction on climate change.

The Harper government's stated policy has been focused on the need to harmonize climate policies with what is being done in the United States. However, now that the US Environmental Protection Agency plans to regulate emissions, the Harper Government has signaled that Canada will not follow suit.

“Minister Kent has his work cut out for him explaining to the public why Canada won’t be following the US in regulating climate changing pollution,” said West. “The year ahead is going to be critical to the future of international climate negotiations and this new appointment may relegate Canada to continued pariah status on the world stage,” said West.

Contact:

Ben West, Wilderness Committee, Healthy Communities Campaigner, 604-710-5340

Gwen Barlee, Wilderness Committee Policy Director, 604-202-032