Steven Guilbeault announces he will resign his seat this summer, remain as Liberal MP until then

OTTAWA — Quebec MP and former environment minister Steven Guilbeault says he will resign his seat this summer and remain in the Liberal caucus until then.

Guilbeault says in a statement on social media that he informed his Liberal colleagues during Wednesday morning’s caucus meeting about his intentions and will address the House of Commons later in the afternoon.

“This decision is the result of careful consideration,” he wrote in a statement posted to X.

“After almost seven years as Member of parliament and minister, I have come to the conclusion that it is time for me to pursue my fight for environmental protection and the fight against climate change in a different way.”

He also thanked his constituents of his Montreal riding of Laurier—Sainte-Marie for their support.

“Around the world, we have demonstrated what we can accomplish with ambition and determination,” Guilbeault wrote.

‘It is with this same conviction that I wish to continue this fight for the generations who will inherit our precious and unique blue planet.”

Before his official announcement, a source confirmed on Tuesday that Guilbeault, who was first elected back in 2019 and served in cabinet under former prime minister Justin Trudeau as environment minister, was resigning because of the deal Carney struck with Alberta Premier Danielle Smith to pave the way for the construction of a new oil pipeline, as well as the government’s general approach to environmental policies.

Guilbeault quit Carney’s cabinet as the minister responsible for Canadian heritage on the day that the deal with Alberta was signed last November.

Since then, he has been a frequent critic of the government when it comes to the rolling back and relaxing environmental policies that had been put into motion under Trudeau, including the cancelling of the consumer carbon tax and scrapping of the electric vehicle mandate.

Speaking to reporters at a defence industrial conference in Ottawa on Wednesday, Carney said in French that he knew Guilbeault leaving the Liberal caucus had been a possibility and that the pair had “candid” discussions on many issues.

He nonetheless thanked Guilbeault for his time as a Liberal MP, with Carney saying he had worked with the former minister before entering politics during his time spent as a special advisor to the United Nations on climate change and finance.

“It’s for him to make decisions about his career,” the prime minister said.

“All aspects of all our careers, even journalists, even prime ministers, get to a point where things change and people make decisions and I very much respect that.”

Carney then offered Guilbeault his best wishes.

More to come …

National Post

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