Unceded Algonquin Territory — Ottawa, ON | November 27, 2025

Nature Canada is deeply troubled by Steven Guilbeault’s resignation from the federal Cabinet. For years, Minister Guilbeault has been a crucial voice for nature in federal politics. Nature Canada and many of our partners and supporters took comfort knowing that through him the voice of nature was being heard and weighed appropriately against other government priorities. His departure should be understood as the warning bell that it is.

“Steven Guilbeault’s departure from Cabinet is truly a loss for both the government and for Canada. It should be a wakeup call to the Prime Minister that Mr. Guilbeault now feels unable to remain part of his Cabinet, as the government undermines environmental protections, its obligations to Indigenous peoples, and its responsibilities to all Canadians.

Where there was a tentative trust and hope, there is now fear that Mark Carney’s words and actions don’t match. Is he simply waving the flag over forests, coasts, and urban nature areas while approving decisions that put those same places at risk for the sake of short term gain?

Prime Minister Carney now faces a crisis of confidence in Canada’s environmental leadership. Trust in his government may have walked out with Guilbeault and nothing we have seen since the election has eased those concerns. Only strong action in the days ahead can restore it.”
– Emily McMillan, Executive Director – Nature Canada

So what now? The Prime Minister has expressed an understanding that the only path to prosperity runs through the responsible use of our greatest shared asset: nature itself. The fact that we are in economically stressful times only reinforces the government’s duty to protect that public asset. It is not too late for Mark Carney to act on his words. But it appears that in the opinion of one of his most trusted ministers – and one of Canada’s most reliable voices for nature – the Prime Minister is making decisions that contradict his words.

Nature Canada represents thousands of Canadians who love and cherish nature and who may be losing faith in what is happening behind closed doors in the PMO. If the Prime Minister wants to regain that trust he must act swiftly. Nature Canada hopes to see in the coming weeks:

• An immediate announcement that the 2030 Nature Strategy will be funded in full
• Clearly communicated priorities that place nature, climate, and the ecological integrity of the planet at the forefront of his policy decisions
• Sufficient resources to ensure that we achieve the global promise of protecting 30% of lands, waters and oceans by 2030.

We thank Mr. Guilbeault for his extensive contributions to nature and to Canada’s natural heritage, and we urge the government of Canada to listen to the legitimate concerns that compelled him to resign. Guilbeault was entrusted with multiple senior portfolios, under two Prime Ministers. Throughout those tenures, he maintained a steadfast commitment to advancing the public interest, working for sustainable prosperity, and protecting Canadians’ rights to a healthy and livable environment.

In particular, his personal leadership helped bring the world to Canada under the Convention on Biological Diversity, and set Canada and the world towards protecting thirty percent of our lands and waters.

He is a true champion for nature and we can’t thank him enough for his service to nature and to Canada.

For more information:
Scott Mullenix
Director of Communications
media@naturecanada.ca | 613-366-4776 (call or text)

Then Minister for Environment and Climate Change Canada, Steven Guilbeault, signs Bird Friendly City certificates following the Together for Nature event in Montreal, May 2023. Photo Credit: Scott Mullenix