Quebec Premier François Legault was wrong to have not participated in the United Nations Climate Action Summit, Pierre Arcand, interim leader of the Quebec Liberal party, said Tuesday.
Arcand argued that by not taking part in Climate Week in New York, the premier had chosen his side — that of a “climate inactivist.”
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“I think Mr. Legault should have been there,” the former environment minister said.
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Arcand recalled that for his predecessors, Philippe Couillard and Jean Charest, “it was a must to go to Climate Week” every year.
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In the past, Quebec premiers, like dozens of heads of state and government officials, have attended the event to showcase their contribution to the fight against climate change and build environmental diplomacy.
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Legault may not be a climate skeptic, but he “is certainly a climate inactivist,” Arcand said, summarizing his perception of the premier after a year in power.
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Last weekend, environmental activist Dominic Champagne said the Legault government’s actions were in association with those who refute the findings of scientists on climate change.