Mulcair on Alberta: “the scandal that is Canada’s tar sands development”

September 11, 2015

EDMONTON – Thomas Mulcair says whatever is convenient. He’ll say whatever Albertans want to hear.

“You’ll never hear me speaking against the development of the oil sands,” Mr. Mulcair proclaimed while running for the NDP leadership. (Toronto Star, August 9, 2015)

 Oh really?

 Writing in French in 2010, Thomas Mulcair wasn’t so positive about Alberta and the oil sands:

 “The complete picture of the scandal that is Canada’s tar sands development reveals the profound foolishness of those who accelerate its exploitation.” [Translation]

 “[T]his book remains accessible to any person wishing to understand the extent of the damage caused by the unbridled exploitation of tar sands in Canada.” [Translation]

 (Thomas Mulcair, excerpts from the preface of “Tar Sands: Dirty Oil and the Future of a Continent” by Andrew Nikiforuk, July 1, 2010)

 And that’s not all.

 In Quebec’s National Assembly, Mulcair railed against Alberta while debating pan-Canadian environmental initiatives:

 “we’re determined, one, to be compensated for what we have already spent, two, to not pass the buck on to Quebec taxpayers for the cleaning up of other provinces, in Alberta in particular”  [Translation]

(Thomas Mulcair, Quebec National Assembly, May 26, 2005)

 “don’t try and make me foot the bill for Alberta. Ok? Good.”  [Translation]

(Thomas Mulcair, Quebec National Assembly, May 26, 2005)

 “Quebec will once again be forced to contribute financially to Alberta.” [Translation]

(Thomas Mulcair, Quebec National Assembly, Nov, 2, 2005)

 “I explained that it was out of the question for us to repay a second time, especially for a province like Alberta” [Translation]

(Thomas Mulcair, Quebec National Assembly, May 26, 2005)

 “if he’s taking billions of dollars in order to send them over to Western Canada, particularly in Alberta… for my part, it’s out of the question.” [Translation]

(Thomas Mulcair, Quebec National Assembly, May 26, 2005)