The wife of Natural Resources Minister Jonathan Wilkinson continues to own oil and gas stocks at the same time her husband is a key minister on the Liberal government’s climate change file, transitioning away from the oil and gas sector to renewable resources.
Tara Wilkinson last year was listed as owning shares in Enbridge Incorporate and Shell PLC, according to conflict of interest filings obtained by Blacklock’s Reporter.
Mr. Wilkinson, along with Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault, introduced Canada’s draft framework to cap pollution from the oil and gas sector to reduce emissions last month. The plan is a bid to reduce emissions in the sector by at least one-third as of 2030.
“Today was an important day,” Wilkinson told the House of Commons Dec. 7. “Canada became the first oil and gas producer in the world to put a cap on oil and gas emissions. We are on a trajectory to reduce to net zero by 2050. It is important in our fight against climate change.”
Mr. Wilkinson is one of the key cabinet ministers involved in drafting “just transition” legislation aimed at helping workers in the oil and gas sector move into a “low-carbon future” through green energy jobs. Alberta and Saskatchewan have been arguing and concerned that the legislation is meant to phase out the oil and gas sector entirely.
Other cabinet members with oil and gas investments in 2023 included then-Addictions Minister Carolyn Bennett (Enbridge shares), then-Attorney General David Lametti (Enbridge), Fisheries Minister Diane Lebouthillier (TC Energy), and then-Public Works Minister Helena Jaczek (Enbridge).
The filings showed Ms. Wilkinson also held shares in Amazon.com, BlackRock Inc., construction equipment dealer Finning International Inc., Lockheed Martin Corporation, Pfizer and 3M Company, the Toronto Dominion Bank, and Royal Bank.
Mr. Wilkinson has talked about the well-being of both his family and Canadian children in general when discussing the government’s climate programs. He told reporters in 2021 that it was important to “honour the commitments we made to our children that we’re going to leave them something that is a workable and sustainable world.”
The proposed regulatory framework for the Oil and Gas Sector Greenhouse Gas Emissions Cap proposes to cap 2030 emissions at 35 to 38 percent below 2019 levels. The oil and gas sector will also be able to buy a limited number of carbon offset credits or contribute to a decarbonization fund, lowering the requirement to 20 to 23 percent.
Mr. Wilkinson called the plan “an important part of Canada achieving its goal of a 40 to 45 percent reduction across the economy by 2030” and achieving carbon neutrality by 2050.
The Epoch Times contacted the minister’s office for comment but didn’t immediately hear back.
