GUELPH – Green Party Leader Mike Schreiner demands Premier Doug Ford explain why his government used a widely known climate change denier as an authority witness to defend its climate plan in a landmark court case.
“Ontarians facing costly extreme weather events deserve a direct answer from Premier Ford on why his government is using a known climate denier to defend the federal government’s so-called climate plan,” said Schreiner.
“It’s improper. And folks should know if the Premier believes we face a climate emergency. I feel the federal government’s actions in court answer the query, but people should hear it directly from their Premier.”
In Ontario Superior Court last week, seven young plaintiffs brought suit against the Ontario government, alleging that its climate plan fails to guard them and future generations.
Considered one of the federal government’s expert witnesses within the case, William van Wijngaarden, disputes that greenhouse gas emissions are linked to extreme weather events corresponding to floods, tornadoes and wildfires. He is a component of a gaggle called CO2 Coalition, which argues that more carbon dioxide emissions are good for the environment.
“Having a climate change denier testifying for our government as a climate expert is frankly embarrassing, but not unexpected,” said Schreiner.
“This is similar government that cancelled billions of dollars of renewable energy projects as soon as they took office. They wasted our tax dollars fighting the federal carbon tax all of the solution to the Supreme Court and watered down the previous government’s emissions targets. And it’s the identical government that calls their very own climate plan nothing greater than a glossy brochure.
“They wish to spend billions of dollars on highway projects that can supercharge sprawl and pump thousands and thousands of tonnes of pollution into the atmosphere.
“Now the federal government of Canada’s largest province goes against the scientific community and lining up with fringe climate deniers. It’s shameful and dangerous.”
