Photo: Justin Tang La Presse canadienne Boris Jonhson à la colline du Parlement d’Ottawa, mercredi
Former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson calls on Canadian Conservatives to come up with a “conservative way” to fight climate change.
“You must show that the environmental platform will produce jobs and growth. And if you cannot demonstrate it as conservatives, you will go backwards,” he warned from the podium at the Canada Strong and Free Networking Conference in Ottawa on Wednesday evening.
The former Downing Street tenant recalled having been a “big climate change skeptic”, “like many people in this group, possibly”. “I used to write terrible things,” he remarked, after scanning the room filled to capacity with conservatives of all stripes.
Then, at the head of the City of London (2008-2016) and the United Kingdom (2019-2022), Boris Johnson “had” to admit that he had not taken science lessons after he was 13, “be humble” and “believe” in the need to fight against greenhouse gases (GHG).
“As conservatives, I don't think we can just say to the public, to young people who are really interested in this issue, that we judge the whole thing of the platform, because let me tell you that the elections are won by the party which really takes ownership of the future”, reiterated the champion of Brexit, repeating in the same breath to the conservatives who thirst for power “that it there is a conservative solution to these dilemmas.” “People want to see that there is a plan or a program to deal with this problem in a conservative and appropriate way,” said the former head of government nicknamed “BoJo”.
His calls for action were greeted with hushed murmurs and quiet applause by attendees of the Canada Strong and Free Networking Conference gathered in the Westin Hotel in downtown Ottawa.< /p>
They reserved their loudest applause for former Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott, also present on stage. The latter was sorry to see some “trying to turn the world upside down in order to reduce our GHG emissions to zero on a given date”, while it “is far from obvious that the carbon dioxide produced by humans is the only or even the main factor in the climate.”
Support for Ukraine's candidacy for NATO
Boris Johnson and Tony Abott, however, agreed to call for an intensification of efforts by the Ukrainians and their allies to repel Russian forces.
“Canada has been fantastic so far,” argued Mr. Johnson. “If I had to decide, I think the time has come to adopt an even stronger position,” he continued, pointing in particular to Great Britain.
Mr. Johnson expressed confidence that the Ukrainians “are going to do the job” and force the Russians to retreat “if they have the tools.” “Let’s give them the tools! » he exclaimed.
Boris Johnson and Tony Abott also fully supported Ukraine's candidacy for NATO membership.
They also reiterated their support for the Israeli government, which seeks to put an end to Hamas in the Gaza Strip… and for the author J. K. Rowling, whose positions on gender identity are considered transphobic.
The Canada Strong and Free Networking Conference (formerly Manning Centre) supports the Canadian conservative movement by highlighting, according to its founders, the best ideas favoring limited government intervention, free enterprise, individual responsibility , among other things.