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June 28th, 2021

REALITY CHECK: Trudeau’s green failure - plastic edition

It seems like every year a new story comes out wherein Justin Trudeau or his Environment Minister talk a big game about banning single-use plastic. These pretty words are quickly followed by doing next to nothing.

And just like a nonbiodegradable plastic bag tossed into the ocean, this narrative has returned again.

HEADLINE: Our plastic problem is urgent - Environment Minister Jonathan Wilkinson, National Observer, June 2, 2021

Minister Wilkinson is trying to change the channel from his government’s deplorable record on reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

But more importantly, if this sense of “urgency” feels familiar, it’s because it is.

March, 2018:

"There's momentum from the business community, the environmentalists, from other governments, to actually take action on plastic and keep it out of the ocean." - former Minister of the Environment, Catherine McKenna,CTV

September, 2018:

“We can’t just be talking about what everyone else needs to do. We need to be taking action” - former Minister of the Environment, Catherine McKenna, CBC

June, 2019:

"We need to cover all of Canada with this decision and that's why the federal government is moving forward on a science-based approach to establishing which harmful single-use plastics we will be eliminating as of 2021," - Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, CBC

This kind of faux panic would make the boy who cried wolf blush.

Disposable plastics are everywhere in 2021. Just more proof that Justin Trudeau’s is all talk; no action.

Canadians deserve better.