Danielle Smith ridicules ‘ideologue’ Guilbeault for ignoring court judgements on the environment

THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang

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Alberta Premier Danielle Smith did not mince words in condemning federal Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault as an "ideologue" complicit in national disunity.

"He doesn't listen. He doesn't honour the Constitution. He ignores court judgments, and he continues barrelling ahead even though his actions are illegal," Smith told reporters on Monday.

Last November 16, the Federal Court quashed a cabinet order to list plastics as "toxic" under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, calling the order too broad.

The decision, released courtesy of a court challenge by the Responsible Plastic Use Coalition and several chemical companies that manufacture plastics, puts the ban on six single-use plastic items in flux. 

Justice Angela Furlanetto ruled Guilbeault’s order as 'both unreasonable and unconstitutional.' 

Premier Smith slams Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault: "He doesn't listen. He doesn't honour the Constitution. He ignores court judgments, and he continues barrelling ahead even though his actions are illegal." https://t.co/jvF8CGrvC6 pic.twitter.com/0N78Yp06zJ

— Rebel News Canada (@RebelNews_CA) February 5, 2024

According to the federal ruling, the order would not restrict regulation to only those plastics that truly have the potential to cause harm to the environment.

The federal government can only regulate substances for environmental protection if they are listed as "toxic" under the act, including straws, grocery bags and takeout containers.

"I had hoped that we’d be able to have a constructive relationship, and he’s demonstrated he’s an ideologue," said the premier on Monday.

Smith claimed Guilbeault is causing "national unity problems" and problems for the federal government, owing to his views on the environment.

"I have a great relationship with those [environment] ministers who really celebrate industry in every part of our country. Unfortunately, Steven Guilbeault is not one of them," she said.

SHOCKING: Documents show the Liberals did no economic assessment of the single use plastics ban.

FULL REPORT by @SheilaGunnReid: https://t.co/Qx6IvWi7NU

— Rebel News Canada (@RebelNews_CA) January 11, 2024

This decision comes on the heels of the Supreme Court of Canada decision confirming the unconstitutionality of the federal government’s destructive Impact Assessment Act, formerly known as Bill C-69. It demonstrates a continued pattern of federal overreach intended to subvert the constitutionally protected role and rights of provinces using the criminal head of power. 

"Like Bill C-69, the federal government’s decision to unilaterally label perfectly safe plastic consumer products as 'toxic' has had wide-ranging consequences for Alberta’s economic interests and has put thousands of jobs and billions of investments at risk," reads a joint statement by Smith and Environment Minister Rebecca Schulz dated last November.

"Alberta is proudly home to Canada’s largest petrochemical sector, a sector with more than $18 billion in recently announced projects that were needlessly put in jeopardy by a virtue-signaling federal government with no respect for the division of powers outlined in the Canadian Constitution," it said.

"It’s time for the federal government to listen to the courts and to Canadians." 

According to the Alberta government, Furlanetto's ruling demonstrates the federal ban on plastics "poses a threat to the balance of federalism."

"There’s one extraordinarily ideological member of that cabinet who seems to be running the show, and I don’t know why the prime minister hasn’t reigned him in," added Smith.