David Suzuki said that when Prime Minister Mark Carney was first elected last year, he celebrated.
asserted
he → say → ?
Having met and interviewed the prime minister before, the national environmentalist icon said he knew Carney understood the challenges of climate change.
asserted
Carney → meet → change
But in an interview with The Canadian Press, Suzuki said he now feels he was “wilfully blind” to Carney’s promises of action on climate, despite warnings from his longtime friend the late Stephen Lewis, who predicted the agenda of a banker — and now politician — would supersede Carney’s views on addressing climate change.
asserted
agenda → say → change
“I don’t see that there’s going to be any deviation from the driving of our country into the ditch,” Suzuki said.
asserted
Suzuki → see → ditch
He acknowledges that Carney’s actions come as Canadians’ views on climate have shifted to other priorities.
asserted
views → acknowledge → priorities
“I think that’s because of that disconnect of what are the really basic things are that keep us alive,” he said.
asserted
he → think → us
For decades, Suzuki brought millions of Canadians into the world of science and nature.
asserted
Suzuki → bring → science
From their living rooms, viewers of The Nature of Things could learn about the intersection of humanity and nature and its impact on the planet.
uncertain
viewers → live → planet
Suzuki, 90, retired from hosting the show four years ago, but still wants to talk to Canadians about the environment.
asserted
Suzuki → retire → environment
This time though, the educational message is tinged with exasperation.
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message → ting → exasperation
Canadians and people around the world have their priorities wrong, he said.
asserted
he → have → world
“Brazil’s Amazon, the greatest terrestrial ecosystem on the planet, has no economic value until it is logged, mined, dammed, or grows soy, cattle, or houses,” Suzuki said.
asserted
Suzuki → have → soy
“So if that doesn’t tell you right there what kind of a f—ked-up system we have, that is exploiting the very things that keep us alive.
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that → tell → us
And we don’t put any value on it.”
asserted
we → put → it
Canada’s record on battling the greenhouse gas emissions driving climate change has been spotty.
asserted
record → battle → change
The federal government has committed to multiple different targets since 1990 and despite implementing dozens of new policies to cut emissions, it has never met any of its targets.
asserted
it → commit → targets
Since taking office in March 2025, Prime Minister Mark Carney has pushed many of those policies aside in the name of economic prosperity — particularly as Canadians grapple with the cost of living on a planet that is facing increasingly destructive weather events every year.
asserted
that → take → events
He cancelled the consumer carbon tax on his first day in office, repealed a mandate to phase out gas-powered cars in favour of electric models, and scrapped an emissions cap on oil and gas production.
asserted
He → cancel → production
Carney said most of those policies were too divisive and costly and he is looking to introduce cuts over a longer term, with investments in clean technology.
asserted
he → say → technology
He also has backed the idea of another oil pipeline to the West Coast and has adjusted some policies to make it more likely.
asserted
it → back → policies
Which one of those actions made Suzuki raise his eyebrows the most?
asserted
Suzuki → make → eyebrows
“I haven’t read any of it,” Suzuki said.
asserted
Suzuki → read → it
“The problem is, it doesn’t really matter to me.
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it → matter → me
Fundamentally, the problem is that the underlying systems that we’ve developed to guide, shape, manage human behaviour have left out the most fundamental thing, which is that our very survival and well-being depends on Mother Earth.
asserted
survival → underlie → Earth
“If you look at our legal, our political and our economic systems, the planet has been left out.
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planet → look → systems
The economy is the system that is driving us on the destructive path.
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that → drive → path
He doesn’t even give much credit to the government of former prime minister Justin Trudeau, whose government enacted some of the most climate friendly policies Canada has ever had.
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Canada → give → policies
Even Trudeau, Suzuki argues, didn’t aim high enough.
asserted
Suzuki → argue → ?
Suzuki said Carney “understands very clearly what the challenges of climate change represent.”
asserted
challenges → say → change
But he said Carney is advocating for climate action as a banker, with an agenda that suits that title.
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that → say → title
“He still believes the economy must be kept going the way it is and that it can be used to keep emissions down and keep the economy going,” he said.
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he → believe → economy
“I think it’s impossible.”
asserted
it → think → ?
Carney was in Strasbourg, France last week to address the European Parliament, on a mission to deepen ties with the EU — particularly on trade, as Canada tried to lessen its dependence on the United States.
asserted
Canada → address → States
Canada’s offer to the EU is largely based on its access to resources, including natural gas and critical minerals, but Suzuki said it’s a catch-22.
asserted
it → base → gas
”(Carney) is standing up to (Trump).
asserted
Carney → stand → Trump
But our arrangements with Europe, they’re all based on economics,” Suzuki said.
asserted
Suzuki → base → economics
“What does Canada have to sell to these other countries to take our dependence away from the United States?
asserted
Canada → have → States
It’s going to be minerals, forests, water, and it’s not based on the fundamental protection of those things.
asserted
it → go → things
It’s all going to what economic value can we extract.
asserted
we → go → value
So I think we’re kind of hooped.”
asserted
we → think → ?
…and 11 more, not listed.
The Aporia
