Minister of the Environment to the committee of follow-up : “It was a time!” complained QS

The minister of the Environment, Benoit Charette, was appointed to the committee of the priorities of the economic recovery.

Share

June 23, 2020 13h53

Updated at 14h04

Share

Minister of the Environment to the committee of follow-up : “It was a time!” complained QS

Olivier Bossé

The Sun

The addition of the minister of the Environment committee of the economic recovery the government meets half of Québec solidaire. Who sees it as a marketing operation, failing to see concrete action.

“My God, it was time!” exclaimed Ruba Ghazal, spokesman of the second opposition group in the national Assembly in terms of the environment, energy and transport. “The opposition parties and several outside groups had requested. He should have been there right from the start!”

The new time is passed in the shadow of the cabinet reshuffle carried out by François Legault, Monday. The prime minister has expanded from four to seven the number of ministers, members of its committee of the priorities of the economic recovery, created at the end of march to respond to the crisis of the COVID-19. Benoit Charette is part of these new members.

Ms. Ghazal is far from a grand gesture of confidence in the prime minister Legault to their minister of the Environment. No more than a heightened sensitivity to the fight against climate change.

According to the mp for Québec solidaire (QS), the Coalition avenir Québec (CAQ) held a speech on environmental and promotional purposes, while the actual actions are always expected.

Structure with two heads

A detailed study of the draft law n° 44 with respect to the management of the green Fund and the governance of climate change is the only parliamentary committee still being in Quebec city.

The work of the day Tuesday have been cancelled after an employee of the parliamentary wing of the liberal Party of Quebec (PLQ) has felt symptoms of the COVID-19. The other two sessions are on the calendar Thursday.

The minister Charette leaves room for the possibility of extending the work during the summer, but an adjournment until August is more likely after Thursday. It is in article 8 on 77.

Ms. Ghazal calls into question the confidence of the prime minister to their minister of the Environment, then that bill 44 would make the entire record of the transition energy between the hands of the minister of Energy and natural Resources, Jonatan Julien.

“The two ministers were there during the tabling of the bill, but Jonatan Julien will not spend a single second in a parliamentary commission on the subject. How Benoit Charette explains it? It boasts of being the general coordinator of the government of climate change, but a big piece eludes him in favour of another colleague. Is this a repudiation of the prime minister?” asks she.

The solidarity speaks to a structure with two heads that will not go in the same direction.

“The main objective of the ministry of Energy and natural Resources, it is above all the development of energy and mining. While you’re at it, why not entrust the shutter transition to the minister of Transport, when it is known that transportation produces 40 % of greenhouse gas emissions in Quebec?”

Illuminate the “black box”

Ms. Ghazal wishes to “put the spotlight” on the new “black box” that is ready to create the government on the management of the $ 1.2 billion annual green Fund, after having abolished its committee of management.

“It is true that the committee of management of the green Fund, which didn’t work, it needed to be improved. But everything that the minister will answer, is : “trust me, I intend to manage it.” It is very disturbing.”

It proposes to give more powers to the Auditor general in this case and that the minister is obliged to submit each year a report on the performance of the green Fund. With The canadian Press

Le Soleil