Trudeau’s new cabinet must deliver a just transition

Friends,

Trudeau just announced his new Cabinet and there are big implications for Canada’s climate emergency response. Former climate activist Steven Guilbeault will lead the Environment Ministry and outgoing Environment Minister Jonathan Wilkinson is heading to Natural Resources [1]. Both politicians have been vocal about the stakes of the climate crisis and the need to move off fossil fuels but we know that, with the Liberal government, words often fall short of action. It’s up to us to make sure they deliver.

In the coming weeks, Trudeau will prepare mandate letters for each cabinet minister, setting their focus for the term ahead. Add your voice to our petition calling on Trudeau to make the Just Transition Act his government’s top priority.

Beyond the Environment and Natural Resources moves, today’s cabinet shuffle was a good reminder that the scale of the climate crisis demands action from all areas of government. Seamus O’Regan is moving from Natural Resources to Labour but if the Trudeau government is serious about tackling the climate crisis, delivering green jobs and a just transition for fossil fuel workers will be a huge component of O’Regan’s new job. Likewise, we’ll be watching closely to see if Trudeau backs up his climate talk by directing his new Infrastructure Minister Dominic LeBlanc to massively increase green projects.

Before Parliament resumes, we have a critical window to push Trudeau to make a rapid, just transition off of fossil fuels his government’s top priority. Sign the petition now.

With the COP 26 summit next week, it’s clearer than ever that Canada is at a climate crossroads. We have the worst climate record of all the G7 nations [2], and that’s largely because our leaders have refused to tackle the elephant in the room: we need to phase out fossil fuel production fast. The first step to real climate leadership is making sure we’re supporting workers and communities with a Just Transition Act, one that guarantees jobs, puts people first, and meets the pace and scale of the climate crisis.

Will you take action today to make sure Trudeau gets the message? 

Onwards,
Chris

Sources:
1 – Canada’s Trudeau names veteran activist as environment minister, sparking green hopes
2 – Canada’s embarrassing climate record is worst of G7 nations

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Welcome Trudeau’s new cabinet

Prime Minister Trudeau just unveiled his cabinet. 39 MPs have been named as cabinet ministers — giving them the Prime Minister’s ear, and special influence in Parliament. [1]

In the coming days, Trudeau will meet with ministers to discuss their portfolios. If key ministers — with portfolios related to climate change — speak up for bold and ambitious climate action to protect our environment, Trudeau will know he needs to step up his game.

But with so much going on as they return to Parliament, ministers will only speak up if they think it’s what the public wants. If thousands of us flood key ministers’ inboxes with emails — right before Trudeau heads to the most important global climate summit, COP26 [2]— we would be impossible to ignore.

But now that Trudeau’s cabinet is public, ministers’ inboxes will be filling up fast — so we need everyone reading this email to send a message right now. It’ll only take a minute and we’ve created a template message for you. Will you send a message now?

Imagine you’re a newly sworn in cabinet minister. You check your inbox and see an avalanche of emails calling on your government to step up its game on climate at COP26. It’s sure to be top of mind for ministers as they meet with Prime Minister Trudeau.

Since Trudeau was elected in 2015, Canada has fallen short of what scientists say is necessary to tackle the climate emergency. [3] COP26 is a crucial opportunity to change course and support communities at the frontlines of the climate crisis — but only if Trudeau commits to meaningful climate action. Will you send a key message to cabinet ministers calling on them to speak up to Trudeau before he heads to the climate summit in just a few days?

With hope,
Simran and Claire for Leadnow

Sources:
[1] https://www.ctvnews.ca/politics/pm-trudeau-names-new-defence-health-foreign-affairs-ministers-in-sizable-cabinet-shakeup-1.5638339
[2] https://canada.constructconnect.com/dcn/news/government/2021/10/trudeau-headed-to-europe-as-g20-leaders-meet-in-person-for-first-time-since-pandemic
[3] https://www.cbc.ca/news/science/climate-change-action-report-1.6176546