Premier calls Jyoti Gondek's plan to declare a climate emergency 'peculiar'
Jason Kenney didn't mince words Tuesday when asked about Calgary Mayor Jyoti Gondek's desire for the city to declare a climate emergency.
Climate and environmental resilience was one of the pillars of Gondek's campaign platform during the election.
In a questionnaire CTV News sent to all mayoral candidates before the election, Gondek said declaring a climate emergency and enacting the recommendations around environmental resilience in existing City of Calgary policies would be "one of her first priorities" if she were to win.
“In a city that has been suffering from near double-digit unemployment, that has gone through five years of deep economic adversity, I find that a peculiar priority,” Kenney said while speaking to reporters on Tuesday.
“I would have thought that the mayor of Calgary’s top priority would be getting Calgarians back to work," he said. "That’s certainly my top priority.”
In response to comments, Gondek said she felt it was important for the mayor of Calgary to represent the best interests of the city.
"We need to be focussed on economic, social and environmental resilience for our city," she said.
"That is the focal point of every major corporation who is creating jobs in our city. We need to be in step with them in doing the right thing.
"The environment is absolutely one of the priorities."
Gondek was sworn in on Monday, along with Calgary's 14 new or re-elected councillors.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
DEVELOPING Person on fire outside Trump's hush money trial rushed away on a stretcher
A person who was on fire in a park outside the New York courthouse where Donald Trump’s hush money trial is taking place has been rushed away on a stretcher.
Mandisa, Grammy award-winning 'American Idol' alum, dead at 47
Soulful gospel artist Mandisa, a Grammy-winning singer who got her start as a contestant on 'American Idol' in 2006, has died, according to a statement on her verified social media. She was 47.
She set out to find a husband in a year. Then she matched with a guy on a dating app on the other side of the world
Scottish comedian Samantha Hannah was working on a comedy show about finding a husband when Toby Hunter came into her life. What happened next surprised them both.
'It could be catastrophic': Woman says natural supplement contained hidden painkiller drug
A Manitoba woman thought she found a miracle natural supplement, but said a hidden ingredient wreaked havoc on her health.
Young people 'tortured' if stolen vehicle operations fail, Montreal police tell MPs
One day after a Montreal police officer fired gunshots at a suspect in a stolen vehicle, senior officers were telling parliamentarians that organized crime groups are recruiting people as young as 15 in the city to steal cars so that they can be shipped overseas.
Vicious attack on a dog ends with charges for northern Ont. suspect
Police in Sault Ste. Marie charged a 22-year-old man with animal cruelty following an attack on a dog Thursday morning.
The Body Shop Canada explores sale as demand outpaces inventory: court filing
The Body Shop Canada is exploring a sale as it struggles to get its hands on enough inventory to keep up with "robust" sales after announcing it would file for creditor protection and close 33 stores.
Tropical fish stolen from Beachburg, Ont. restaurant found and returned
Ontario Provincial Police have landed a suspect following a fishy theft in Beachburg, Ont.
U.S. FAA launches investigation into unauthorized personnel in cockpit of Colorado Rockies flight to Toronto
The U.S.’s Federal Aviation Administration is investigating a video that appears to show unauthorized personnel in the cockpit of a charted Colorado Rockies flight to Toronto.