Canadians outraged by Natural Resources Minister

MEDIA RELEASE, September 18, 2014

OTTAWA – Sierra Club Canada Foundation supporters were disturbed to discover Natural Resources Minister Greg Rickford is so uninterested he has shut down his Parliamentary email (greg.rickford@parl.gc.ca).

Sierra Club Canada Foundation initiated an email campaign in response to learning Mr. Rickford's briefing binder instructed him to push for expanding Canada’s oil industry and ignored climate change. In 2005, Natural Resources Canada was responsible for administering numerous climate change programs designed to assist Canadians in living up to our Kyoto Protocol commitments.

“If your comments/concerns are directly related to MP Rickford's portfolio as Minister of Natural Resources, please contact the department directly at 613-996-2007 and they will be happy to direct you,” said the Minister in an automatic reply.

Here are a few of the dozens of responses Sierra Club received from disappointed Canadians:

  • “FYI - this is what I received when I sent the letter you crafted. They aren't accepting these emails I guess ?? One would think that a government minister, elected to represent Canadians, and working FOR us, would be interested in hearing diverse viewpoints.
  • “Apparently, the Minister only responds to his own constituents and not the broader population for which he represents - Disappointing!”
  • “If you send this message to our MINISTER this is his answer. What a joke, he's TOO BUSY”
  • “It was sent back to me saying he only checks emails for his own constituents....convenient eh?”

Over 1000 supporters emailed Minister Rickford last night.

“Frankly, I was shocked. Never before have I experienced such indifference from a Member of Parliament, but on the other hand it is very much in line with this government's support for anti-democratic changes to environmental laws that exclude Canadians,” said John Bennett, National Program Director.

-30-

For more information:

John Bennett, National Program Director
Sierra Club Canada Foundation
1510-1 Nicholas Street
Ottawa, Ontario K1N 7B7
613-291-6888
jb@sierraclub.ca
John on Twitter / Bennett Blog