OTTAWA — Two former advisers on Ottawa’s climate policies, Simon Donner and Catherine Abreu, have expressed their frustration with the recent antics of parliamentarians at the House of Commons environment committee, demonstrating why they resigned from Canada’s independent net-zero advisory body (NZAB) last year.
On Thursday, the committee, which is examining Canada’s 2030 emission reductions plan, became embroiled in controversy when Conservative and Bloc Québécois MPs attempted to propose a motion inviting Donner and Abreu to speak. The NZAB was established in 2021 under Canada’s Net-Zero Accountability Act, which mandates that the environment minister consider the advisory body's recommendations when formulating emission targets or modifying the emissions reduction strategy.
Both Donner and Abreu stepped down from the NZAB in December 2022, claiming that the government, led by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, was not consulting them on critical policy decisions. These included significant topics such as the Alberta energy deal and a major projects bill.
The motion to hear from the former NZAB members did not reach a vote due to Liberal MPs using the remainder of the committee's time to question the necessity of their testimony. This sparked accusations of filibustering from Conservative and Bloc members. The Liberals asserted that the recent influx of motions from the opposition was hindering the committee's progress.
The meeting adjourned without a vote as the allotted time for interpreters elapsed. Donner articulated his discontent, stating, “In a nutshell, this type of junior-high behaviour is why I resigned. And I want to be clear, it’s junior-high behaviour by the Conservatives, the Bloc, and the Liberals. They’re all guilty here.”
When contacted, Abreu echoed similar sentiments, expressing surprise that Liberal MPs opposed the motion to hear from them. She emphasized that the conduct demonstrated by the Liberals indicated a lack of commitment to transparently communicating their climate action strategies. “Basically, this is why I left,” she added.
Conservative MP Branden Leslie defended the motion, highlighting the importance of hearing from Donner and Abreu given their resignations from the NZAB. He noted, “I think (it) is a great opportunity (for them) to come and understand why that happened, and for the government to better understand how the body can be a functioning body to provide reasonable advice to the minister.”
Bloc Québécois MP Patrick Bonin criticized the Liberals for allegedly stifling climate experts, drawing parallels to the Harper government’s past actions that hindered scientists from publicly addressing their research. He stated, “The main thing the government has put in place (the NZAB), they don’t want to shed light on it so we can understand what isn’t working, how to improve it, and have transparency regarding the documentation related to that body.”
In contrast, Liberal MP Eric St-Pierre asserted that the committee had previously heard from Donner on the current study and prioritized addressing more pressing issues. He pointed out that although he would appreciate Donner’s return, there are significant matters needing attention, such as the delay on studying industrial carbon pricing—an initiative he had proposed.
Donner also criticized the overall dynamic at play, suggesting that the parties were not approaching climate change with the seriousness it required. “The Conservatives claiming they need to hear from me when they didn’t ask me a single serious question last year is laughable,” he remarked, adding that the Liberal insistence on not needing his input was equally absurd given the recent developments surrounding the NZAB.
“Aren’t you at least a little bit curious to talk to me?” Donner challenged. The ongoing situation underscores significant tensions within the committee regarding climate policy and the advisory body's role in shaping Canada’s approach to emissions reduction.
