Facing non-stop pressure over her government's climate change policies, Environment Minister Rona Ambrose has parted ways with her most senior political adviser.
Ambrose's chief of staff, Daniel Bernier, a former Progressive Conservative strategist, packed his belongings at the office Friday, just as the Sierra Club of Canada gave the new government a failing grade for its actions on climate change and biodiversity.
While a spokesperson for Ambrose refused to say why Bernier left, several people have suggested he did not share the government's philosophy.
"When I met Daniel, I think he was generally interested in the issue of Kyoto, and arguably wanted to do things differently than the Liberals did,'' said Greenpeace spokesperson Steven Guilbeault on Monday. "I think that doing things differently for him may not have meant scrapping everything and putting together a (public relations) campaign to make people believe that they are doing something while doing nothing at all.''
If the quote from Guilbeault is accurate, Bernier's withdrawal represents another embarrassing episode for the forever faultering Ambrose. Ambrose makes another interesting quote:
"I will not jeopardize the long-term opportunity for the government to put a good plan in place for short-term political gain,'' she said in the House of Commons on Monday. "That is exactly what the last party did for 13 years, and not only did it get an F, it got kicked out of class.''
Despite the claims, I suspect Ambrose is rushing to cobble together some patchwork plan to deflect criticism. The loss of her chief of staff is another revelation that Ambrose may lack the competence for this demanding portfolio. Cutting effective programs without any kind of credible review, scrapping Kyoto without an alternative on the horizon, lacking the political instincts to see the inherent hypocrisy of her chairing the Bonn talks and now losing her top advisor all converge to show that Ambrose may not be the rising political star, as previously advertised. Ultimately, Ambrose merely reflects Harper's environmental perspective, which apparently means cutbacks and tarnishing Canada's international image.
7 comments:
I think they will go the route of projecting BS as good policy, and will push technologies like 'clean' coal and nuclear. For whatever good they can do, it is only in comparison to worse options. They will not reduce emissions, just potentially slow growth.
As to why her Chief of Staff is gone, who knows? But it is quite early for such a significant change. They must have has disagreements.
She was a terrible choice from the start. Saw her on Rick Mercer's show and she nearly freaked out putting a spigot in a maple tree. Funny, one would expect at least the Environmental Minister would recognize a sustainable use of renewable resources when she saw one.
Guess the "boys" in the cabinet needed someone to make coffee and sandwiches for them.
mark
If they push the "clean" coal option it will be a BS campaign. Even the biggest proponents in Alberta admit the technology is in its infancy. If that option is part of the Tory plan, it essentially amounts to a do nothing campaign.
Bobblehead Ambrose sits behind Harper nodding her head at every word he says. Obviously the woman cannot think for herself and is forced to mouth whatever Harper tells her to say. She had years of Liberal rule to formulate a plan, any sort of plan...
Ah well, a couple more days and she can have all summer to think of something, or not.
anon
There is a sexist tone to your comments which isn't necessary.
Steve,
I would have said the same thing if she had been a man. My comment harkened back to the Tory bragging that they had the "hottest" Minister. I suggest that the Conservatives are sexist, and opine that is the reason Harper has her in every shot of his esteemed self.
Personally, I couldn't care less what a person has in their pants as long as they can do the job they are paid to do.
anon
Fair enough :) And you're right about the Tory "hottie" stuff.
Post a Comment