Minister Nixon off target in recent column

By Lethbridge Herald on April 13, 2022.

Editor:
Regarding the Guest Column of April 7, 2022, by the Minister of Environment and Parks, the Hon. Jason Nixon. Headlined: “Alberta won’t accept production cuts in climate plan”
My first question is this – Is the Honourable Minister of Environment and Parks not responsible for protecting and defending the environment and parks for Albertans? His entire tirade was exactly not that.
He stated: “Alberta’s government will not accept any federal plan on emissions that will hit Canadians’ pocketbooks any further…”. The effects of climate change are affecting everyone’s “pocketbooks” already and will further continue to do so and much more severely. Climate change is not a future “theory” to be ignored or not believed in. It is happening here and now, and this is only the beginning. It is going to continue to affect us all way beyond our “pocketbooks”.
That is a reality. We should be adapting to that fact and doing everything in our power to minimize the damage.
He stated: “…Alberta’s government is not interested in a transition from jobs in the energy sector laid out in the plan”. So, no new jobs then? He also stated: “If jobs are lost, personal income tax is lost”. Indeed. He further stated “Alberta’s government is going to fight tooth-and-nail to keep our economy intact and defend the resources…”. But only some specific resources? Is the environment not a resource? Are parks not a resource? Was this rant really penned by the Minister of the Environment and Parks? Much like the Minister of Health seems to be complicit in dismantling public health care in this province, the Minister of Education seems to be determined to destroy our once-admired education system, and the Minister of Advanced Education seems to be promoting the devastation of our post-secondary institutions, our current “honourable” ministers (to name but a few) seem to be tasked with crippling the very portfolios of which they have been entrusted.
Surely the Minister of Environment and Parks should be promoting ways to lower emissions, introducing new environmentally sustainable industries, and spearheading climate change initiatives in this province, instead of “fighting tooth-and-nail” against them. If the Minister of Environment and Parks will not defend our environment, then who will? The same goes for all Ministers. But perhaps they are just Ministers of, not for. However, they should be the champions of AND for their portfolios, not the tools of their demise. I, sadly, find the actions of our current Ministers to be anything but honourable.
Shellie Kienzle
Lethbridge

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