The Rise and Fall of Steven Guilbeault

A Look At The Most Controversial And Polarizing Cabinet Minister In Modern Canadian History

Steven Guilbeault was one of the most controversial and polarizing politicians in modern Canadian history.

A longtime climate activist who spent decades opposing pipelines, he was placed in charge of Canada’s environmental policy as Minister of Environment and Climate Change. There, he led policies that critics viewed as a crusade against Canada’s oil and gas industry.

Then, on November 27, 2025, Guilbeault resigned from Canada’s Liberal cabinet following an agreement with Alberta tied to the construction of a new pipeline.

But this story is not really about Steven Guilbeault.

It is about the political system that elevated him, empowered him, and ultimately defined his role. It is about the Liberal Party of Canada, Justin Trudeau, and Mark Carney.

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