Hold Guilbeault Accountable

As the full extent of the damage from the disastrous Jasper fire becomes clearer, questions around forest management practices have come to the forefront of the conversation. 

Internal documents obtained by Blacklock’s Reporter indicate that explicit warnings about beetle infestations in Jasper National Park were given to the Department of Environment and Climate Change. 

For years, forestry professionals have been sounding the alarm over the risk of wildfire not just to the trees in the park but also to the picturesque town of Jasper.

In what has become a typical scenario for the federal government, Guilbeault is deflecting blame. 

The culprit, in the eyes of Trudeau’s right-hand climate man? 

Climate change.

Parks Canada CEO Ron Hallman, on the payroll of the Department of Environment and Climate Change, strongly pushed back against the idea that the federal government should take any blame for the damage.

“I reject the premise of the question that Parks Canada place[s] nature before people. It's a ridiculous statement, and one that is offensive. Frankly, there is nothing more important for the entire Parks Canada team than the safety of our employees, our guests, the people we work with, and anyone who says anything differently doesn't know very much about us,” he said.

People aren’t buying it. 

Many experts, including foresters, Alberta government officials, academics, and former Parks Canada employees, have criticized Parks Canada for refusing to allow mechanical thinning (ie. logging) of thousands of hectares of diseased trees.

For years, hundreds of thousands of dry, beetle-killed pines were left standing in the park, ready to ignite during a fire and cause far more damage - amounting to 44% of the trees in the park.

In other words, lightning only needs to strike once.

We shouldn’t be surprised.

Guilbeault needs to be fired.

His appointment as Minister of Environment and Climate Change was suspect in the first place.

It’s the same Steven Guilbeault that ended up in an orange jumpsuit after climbing the CN Tower and causing $50,000 of damage during a protest during his time as an environmental activist.

A year later, he broke onto Premier Ralph Klein’s property and terrified his wife, who thought he was a home intruder.

His open defiance of the law in pursuit of a solution to climate change while an activist has translated into his current conduct as Minister of Environment and Climate Change.

Under his leadership, his Department has put forth a series of foolish proposals that are severely impacting the ability of Canadians to stay ahead of a growing affordability crisis.

They have consistently underestimated (perhaps deliberately) the costs of their ambitious and expensive climate agenda while overselling the benefits.

The Clean Electricity Regulations are outright unconstitutional and will strangle Alberta’s electricity grid and send your utility bills through the roof.

The impending federal “Just Transition” will legislate thousands of high-paying natural resource industry jobs out of existence, replacing them with less available green energy jobs that pay less.

There is a looming emissions cap on the oil and gas sector, which would restrict producers from increasing their oil and gas production, as the technology does not exist to reach the emissions cap without limiting production.

And, we haven’t forgotten about the insane idea to ban gas-powered car sales by 2035.

We also haven’t forgotten that Guilbeault has implemented a ban on single-use plastics and designated plastic as a toxic substance - just the latest of his plans to be ruled unconstitutional by the courts.

He’s made it illegal for energy companies to defend their environmental records with Bill C-59.

He's even defended the government's decision to increase the deeply unpopular carbon tax, despite the political firestorm it has ignited.

None of these radical climate policies prevented the disaster in Jasper. 

The devastating fire was not due to climate change but rather Guilbeault's negligence in addressing the beetle-killed trees, which turned the park into a tinderbox. 

Now, 30% of the town lies in ruins.

Jasper’s tragedy is a result of the highest degree of negligence.

Things need to change.

More than 15,000 people have already signed our petition to Fire Guilbeault.

But we need more eyes on this petition.

Guilbeault needs to be removed from power before more lives are put at risk.

Canadians deserve a government that prioritizes their well-being over ideological pursuits.

As voices across the country grow louder in opposition to these harmful policies, it's incumbent upon Trudeau to listen to the concerns of all Canadians and take action.

Let's put an end to the charade, and send Guilbeault packing.

If you agree, sign our petition to Fire Guilbeault today:

After you've signed, send this petition to your friends, family, and every Albertan so that they can sign too!

Regards,

The Free Alberta Strategy Team