Conservatives won't commit to respecting Quebec's environmental baseline

Quebec environmental groups say the Conservatives are the only major federal party that refuses to commit to Quebec's ban on fossil fuel development and other popular environmental positions. 

"It is out of the question that we rewind time, whether it is for pipelines or LNG plants," said Anne-Céline Guyon, a climate and energy advocate for Nature Québec, in a French-language interview with Canada's National Observer. Quebec spent decades moving away from fossil fuels and some harmful environmental practices, and will not give up those gains, she said.

Vivre-au-Vert, a coalition of about 20 environmental groups, compiled a set of guiding environmental principles by reviewing Quebec's existing environmental laws, regulations and pledges to create a Quebec Environmental Consensus. The document represents the baseline of socially acceptable environmental measures in the province. 

They asked all the major political parties to pledge they will respect those guidelines if elected. The Conservatives were the only party that refused to respect the consensus if elected.  

The document comes amid campaign promises to build trans-Canadian energy infrastructure — including pipelines — to counter the threat of Trump's trade war with the country. Quebec has steadfastly refused to allow pipelines since barring the proposed Energy East pipeline in 2017 because of climate concerns and public opposition. 

In addition to protecting the province's ban on fossil fuel development, the principles include protecting Quebec's efforts to reduce the use of artificial fertilizers and pesticides and curb urban sprawl. It also affirms  Quebec's commitment to the 2015 Paris climate agreement and its pledge to protect 30 per cent of the province from development. 

The Conservative party did not respond to a request for comment. 

Last month, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre pledged to create a "national energy corridor" if elected and singled out Energy East as an example of the kind of project that could be revived under the policy. He also promised last month to "aggressively" build pipelines and LNG plants, promote mines and speed up environmental permits so Canadians "can stand up for ourselves and stand up to the Americans."

Liberal Leader Mark Carney has been non-committal on the topic, saying in French Sunday on Radio-Canada's popular Tout le monde en parle talk show, that "we must choose a few projects, a few big projects. Not necessarily pipelines, but maybe pipelines, we’ll see." 

Quebec Premier François Legault said in March that the province would consider trans-Canadian pipeline proposals if they have "social acceptability," a reversal from his staunch opposition to such projects. 

"A lot of people in Quebec have fought against fossil fuel projects because they understand their impact on the health of the environment, on human health and on economic health," Patricia Clermont, Quebec regional organizer for the Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment (CAPE), said in French. 

The province's environmentalism, including opposition to fossil fuel development, is "part of our identity," she said. 

Federal leaders must take note of the province's  cultural environmentalism when selling their election platforms — at least in "normal circumstances," said André Lecours, a political science professor at the University of Ottawa. Trump's trade war may be eroding that cultural consensus, or at least making federal politicians more willing to challenge the province's environmental norms, he said. 

Building a pipeline through Quebec would remain "very tricky politically," with the province retaining a "potentially strong veto" over any proposals. But the ground is shifting. Even a few months ago, the thought would have been impossible. Now it isn't, he said.

Patrick Bonin, the Bloc Québécois candidate for Repentigny and head of Greenpeace Canada's climate and energy campaign until deciding to run for office, wasn't as sure. Climate and the environment haven't come up as much as Trump's tariffs and the cost-of-living crisis during his campaign, but Bonin said  they remain a priority for many in the province, particularly younger people and women. 

When faced with the potential risks that pipelines and other fossil fuel infrastructure can pose, like oil spills, he anticipates Quebecers would erect similar resistance to the projects as they did against Energy East. 

"There is no social acceptability," he said.