“I am resigning as a member of Parliament later this summer. I joined politics to fight climate change and protect nature, and I am proud of the work we did. I am thanking my family, staff, and the people in my riding.”

“Mr. Speaker, a few months after I turned 25, I embarked on my first overseas trip, one that, without my knowing it, would set the course of my entire life. I was heading to Berlin for what was then a little-known gathering: the very first conference of parties on climate change, COP1. History was being made, and I was lucky enough to be in the room. Like many of my peers at the time, I was setting off for the old world with my backpack, but unlike them, I was not going to be backpacking across Europe. Instead, I slept on a gymnasium floor with 600 young people from all over the world in what had, a few years earlier, been East Berlin. We had a common goal: to convince governments around the world to agree on an ambitious plan to tackle climate change. The experience made me realize not only how crucial the climate crisis and, as I would later discover, the nature crisis are, but also how important international collaboration is to finding solutions to these complex issues. Over the next two decades, I channelled this conviction into environmental work with NGOs, advocating for change, mobilizing support and building bridges between science, civil society and public policy. It was this experience that ultimately led me to politics. In 2019, then prime minister Justin Trudeau asked me to join the Liberal team to help accelerate action on climate change. When I became environment minister, my mandate included developing Canada’s first comprehensive climate plan to meet our international obligations. We also developed the country’s first comprehensive adaptation plan to prepare and protect Canadians from the dangers of a changing climate, changes that we can no longer avoid, and those plans were working. These plans, through policies, regulations and legislation, have been designed to ensure that Canada makes its fair contribution to reducing pollution and protecting Canadians from the devastation we are already seeing in communities from coast to coast to coast. Before making the final decision to run, there was one thing I asked: the ability to distance myself from the decision by the government to purchase the Trans Mountain pipeline. As an environmentalist with deep understanding of the scientific consensus on the urgency and need to rapidly reduce heat-trapping gases, I had opposed a number of oil and gas projects and had criticized the Trudeau government for moving ahead with the purchase of TMX. Many of my political opponents have used these positions to try to portray me as anti-development. That has always made me smile a little, because throughout my professional career, I have championed numerous development projects across the country, such as wind and solar projects, public transit and active mobility initiatives, the electrification of our public transit system, including boosting sales of electric vehicles, and, more recently, the high-speed rail project. I was onstage in Edmonton in 2015 when then NDP premier Rachel Notley announced her climate leadership plan. Again I was roundly criticized by some environmentalists for doing so, but I have always believed in collaborating with provinces within the framework of the scientific reality of climate change. Much has changed since then. Just 10 years ago, for every dollar invested worldwide in fossil fuel production, another dollar was invested in clean and renewable technologies. Today, that ratio is two to one in favour of renewable energy. Last year, global electric vehicle sales reached nearly 23%. There are not many reasons that lead people to enter politics. In my case, it was a desire to pursue my quest for a better environment, for the fight against climate change, and for nature protection. These intense, demanding and deeply meaningful seven years have been among the most formative of my life. I leave proud of what we have accomplished together. After nearly seven years serving as the member for the beautiful riding of Laurier—Sainte‑Marie, the time has come for me to seek new avenues to continue my life’s work. I will therefore be resigning my seat in the House later this summer. I am profoundly grateful to my children, family, friends, staff and constituents, as well as volunteers, many of whom have come to Ottawa today to be with us and who have made this work possible. They gave me far more than I can ever give back. Mr. Speaker, I will not mention the fact that some of them may be here in the House, because you would tell me I am not allowed to do that. The journey that began in Berlin more than 30 years ago is not over. It is simply continuing in another direction, with the same urgency and renewed hope. The fight for our planet is the struggle of our generation, and I fully intend to keep fighting. It has been the honour of my life to represent my community and my country.”

“I think the member just paid me a compliment, and I will take it.”

“Mr. Speaker, I think I heard a compliment in there somewhere. I think if all of us listened really hard, we would find it. I will take it.”

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“Politics can be hard, but we can do great things in it. We hosted a huge global nature meeting in Montreal on short notice and got nearly 200 countries to agree to protect almost a third of the planet. I encourage people to get into politics.”

“Mr. Speaker, I sincerely thank my colleague and friend from the Bloc Québécois, the member for Repentigny, for his kind words, on his own behalf and, as I understand it, on behalf of his party. The political arena can sometimes be very difficult, but it is also a place where we can accomplish great things. When the United Nations approached us in spring 2022 to ask us to host COP15 in Montreal, a conference that normally takes a year, if not two, to organize, we had only six months to do so. On top of that, we had to work closely with China, which was presiding over the conference, a country with which our diplomatic relations at the time were rather limited. The prime minister at the time, Mr. Trudeau, supported in particular by our former foreign affairs minister and current minister responsible for economic development, did not hesitate to support me in embarking on this adventure with the entire Canadian community, including NGOs, indigenous peoples and many private-sector companies. In the span of two weeks, we succeeded in convincing 196 countries to protect 30% of the planet. Today, this is referred to as the “Paris agreement for nature”, the equivalent of the Paris climate agreement. People can achieve great things by getting into politics. I urge everyone watching who is wondering whether they should one day take the plunge to go for it, pursue their dreams and do everything they can.”

“I thank the member for his work in Parliament, especially for pushing us to act on climate change. What advice would he give to young people fighting for the climate today?”

“Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for the time he has spent in the House. I certainly will not forget when he was first elected in 2019. I had been here for four years, and I was sitting in the House when he was about to give his first speech. He turned around to me and said, “Do I start talking now?” He was just getting his feet established here, but it did not take him long to become a force to be reckoned with in the House. I thank him for the time he spent with us and for always pushing the government, for always pushing us individually, to do more and to be more thoughtful when it comes to climate change and what we could do. He always pushed us to do better no matter the circumstances. The member opened his speech by talking about a young 20-year-old who travelled for the first time to engage in activities around climate change. What would he say today to that young 20-year-old to give him advice?”

“I tell young people to believe in their dreams. I never thought I would become a member of Parliament and a minister, but it happened. Sometimes dreams come true.”

“Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the government whip for everything he has done for me personally and professionally in the House. He has been an incredible ally, as have many people on both sides of the House. To answer his question, like I said in French a few moments ago, I would tell this young 25-year-old, wide-eyed Canadian going abroad for the first time to believe in his dreams. If I told him then that one day he would serve as a member of Parliament, that he would even be the minister of environment and climate change, I am not sure that 25-year-old would have believed that. We should believe in our dreams. Sometimes they come true.”

“I want to thank the member from Courtenay—Alberni for working with me on environmental issues. Even though I am leaving this House, I will keep fighting to protect the planet.”

“Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my hon. NDP colleague from Courtenay—Alberni for his comments. He has been an incredible ally and friend in the House. He is right that we have worked closely together on a number of issues. I have always appreciated his dedication to environmental issues and to working together to find solutions, something that is not always necessarily easy in this place. For that I want to thank him. I want to assure him that the fight is not over. I will continue my battle for a greener, safer planet outside of this great House.”

“I have worked with the leader of the Green Party for a long time. I will keep working with her and anyone else who wants to fight climate change and protect nature.”

“Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my long-time friend, the leader of the Green Party and member of Parliament for Saanich—Gulf Islands, for her remarks. We have indeed known each other for a very long time. We worked together before we entered politics, although her political career began much earlier than mine. We have a lot in common, including our birthday, which is coming up soon, for those who are interested. I want to assure her that I will continue to be there for her and for everyone who wants to work on issues related to fighting climate change and protecting biodiversity. I will never be far away if they need me. I will always be happy to help.”