Sudbury Green candidate David Robinson isn’t pulling any punches in criticizing major party leaders for their ties to and support for the oil and gas sector.
In a news release this weekend, Robinson took swipes at Conservative leader Erin O’Toole, Liberal leader Justin Trudeau and New Democrat leader Jagmeet Singh.
O’Toole, Robinson said, is practicing “dingbat economics” if he thinks Canada is making money selling tar-sands oil
"O'Toole wants low carbon fees to protect the oil industry." said Robinson. "He wants to go on subsidizing the oil industry and building pipelines for the industry. He seems to think Canada is making money selling oil. We are actually paying Americans to take our tar-sands oil."
Robinson was referring to a report from The Narwhal that federal government dedicated $18 billion in 2020 in subsidies to the oil and gas sector.
"There are three winners under the Conservative plan: Oil companies, oil workers, and American consumers,” Robinson said. “The Canadian taxpayer pays the subsidies that go to American consumers. They pay the super wages for oil sands workers and executives. They contribute directly to oil company profits."
Oil exports drive up the Canadian dollar and kill jobs in Ontario, he continued, as well as contributing to ongoing environmental damage.
"O'Toole wants to delay our transition to a carbon-free economy to protect an industry that is actually costing us jobs,” Robinson said. “He doesn't seem to have a clue about how the economy really works."
But O’Toole wasn’t alone in the blast of criticism from Robinson. He said Trudeau is a good friend to the oil and gas sector, too.
"Don't let Mr. Trudeau off," said Robinson. "He gave the industry a multi-billion dollar pipeline for Christmas. He may have promised to cut those subsidies, but the oil companies got him to back down."
The Sudbury candidate also levelled criticism at Singh.
"Mr. Singh is another greenwasher," said Robinson. "He decided to play the green card and call for an end to oil subsidies too, but all past NDP governments have been big friends of oil and gas — look at Horgan in B.C.," said Robinson. "Singh can't run on the NDP's green record because it doesn't have one."
