A Liberal Canadian lawmaker sparked backlash this week after suggesting that families taking summer road trips are “letting the planet burn.”
Mark Holland, Ontario MP and the country’s Minister of Health, was branded “crazy” by opposition leader Pierre Poilievre following his rant in parliament last week.
It came as he appeared to mock a question from a Conservative colleague about freezing the carbon tax to reduce fuel costs for ordinary Canadians, which Holland said would be a trade-off for “the future of the planet.”
‘Don’t worry about climate change! Don’t worry about performing on the planet!’ the bow-tied politician said sarcastically. “Enjoy your ten hours in the car and let the planet burn.”
Canadian MP and Health Minister Mark Holland sparked backlash after ranting about how families taking summer road trips are “letting the planet burn.”
Holland’s comments came in response to a question from Conservative MP Rachael Thomas during an open debate in parliament on a vote to allow Canadians to save 35 cents per liter of gasoline through carbon freezing.
‘Many Canadians are simply looking forward to a little summer vacation, a road trip. Maybe it’s normally a time when they can go camping in the mountains or go to a national park or visit their loved ones,” Thomas told the camera.
“But this year, many Canadians can’t afford this simple pleasure because this government has made life too expensive.”
Holland responded by appearing to mock the claim that families would want to take a road trip.
‘Good news, children! “You can take a summer of fun vacation where you’re locked in a car for ten straight days without stopping, without going to the bathroom,” she said.
‘The Conservatives have a plan for you to have fun over the summer – and the cost? Give up on the future of the planet.
‘Don’t worry about climate change! Don’t worry about taking action on the planet! Enjoy your ten hours in the car and let the planet burn.’
Holland, pictured in 2021 with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, was branded “crazy” for her comments in parliament last week.
Mr Holland’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment when contacted by DailyMail.com.
Footage of Holland’s theatrical speech sparked a backlash from Conservatives, with some critics pointing to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s frequent use of private jets.
‘Only Trudeau is allowed to take summer trips on private jets while signing virtues on climate change. Oh man. The irony,” said one commentator.
Another asked: “Why don’t you criticize your boss for 27-car caravans and flying around the world on airplanes?”
Days after the speech, Holland told a press conference that the negative response he received was because his words were taken out of “context” as he argued that the Conservatives’ carbon tax threshold was too high to be effective. .
“It’s just dishonest and it’s emblematic of an approach that Canadians need to sit back and watch,” he told reporters.
“Of course, we all support the idea of taking road trips, but I don’t support them when they’re 44,000 kilometers long,” Holland said, pointing to the number he suggested Canadians would need to drive to receive the benefits of carbon freezing.
Holland criticized conservative stances on limiting climate change policies while defending his comments, saying criticism of his speech was “false.”
‘I think that quoting me selectively, when they could see the context of the question period and what we were talking about, frankly shows a desperation in their message.
“(And it shows) a willingness in social media spaces to distort messages that are simply false,” he argued.
