The massive wildfires in Canada and the biting haze they have spread over North America have deepened divisions in the country’s politics.
While politicians in Alberta and Saskatchewan – Canada’s oil-producing heartland – and conservatives in Ottawa can no longer deny climate change, they continue to stand in the way of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s ambitions. This could leave one of the world’s largest fossil fuel producers without a credible path to reducing carbon emissions, while the effects of climate change see its forests go up in smoke.
The fires have burned more than 13 million acres, an area twice the size of the US state of Massachusetts, so this year is on track to be the worst on record. As the fires drive tens of thousands from their homes and blanket the air with toxic smoke, Canada’s opposition leader has called for an end to the country’s carbon tax. Trudeau’s main rival, populist Conservative Pierre Poilievre, spoke for hours in Parliament last week to stall the ruling Liberal Party’s budget. During his speech, he reiterated one of his key promises should the Tories return to power: “Technology, not taxes.”
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