Liberals’ oil and gas emission cap misses the mark, panders to oil and gas CEOs

In reaction to the Liberals announced oil and gas emission cap, NDP Environment and Climate Change critic Laurel Collins made the following statement:

“Canadians watched in the summer as communities burned because of record-breaking wildfires and droughts, so they rightfully want to see the government taking strong climate action.

But after two years of waiting for an oil and gas emission cap, the Liberals have let Canadians down.

At a time when people expect the government to take on the climate crisis, the Liberals instead have listened to oil and gas lobbyists, giving them an oil and gas emission cap framework that’s low, riddled with loopholes and won’t put Canada back on the right path for meeting our emission targets.

The loopholes the Liberals have left in their cap will let rich oil and gas CEOs back away from their climate commitments and maximize profits at the expense of Canadians.

People are seeing Minister Guilbeault and the Liberals spend their time at COP28 pandering to their rich oil and gas CEO friends and expensive lobbyists as they undermine any chance at a strong climate plan. It misses the mark.

New Democrats are calling on the Liberals to right their wrongs by closing the loopholes they’ve left in the emissions cap. We are also calling for an excess profits tax on big oil and gas companies that are raking in record profits while gouging hardworking Canadians, to eliminate fossil fuel subsidies, and to invest in creating good-paying, sustainable jobs to close this emissions gap.

It’s time for real climate action that protects our planet and our future and puts money back into people’s pockets.”