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Saskatchewan NDP Leader Carla Beck has slammed newly-elected federal NDP leader Avi Lewis over his stance on fossil fuels projects.
In an open letter to Lewis issued on March 28, Beck highlighted a video posted on Lewis’ Linkedin account, with the post stating “I am unequivocally opposed to any new fossil fuel development — including LNG.”
“We need to have the bravery to say that any government of any stripe that is building new pipelines and new fossil fuel infrastructure, ‘This shall not pass,’” Lewis said in the video.
Beck states in the letter that the position is “ideological and unrealistic,” saying that Lewis’s position ignores the realities faced by workers in Saskatchewan and across Canada, and puts jobs at risk.
“The policies and positions you have advocated for put at risk $13.6 billion in economic activity annually in Saskatchewan,” Beck wrote.
WATCH | New NDP leader Avi Lewis speaks in Winnipeg after first-ballot victory:
FULL SPEECH | New NDP Leader Avi Lewis speaks in Winnipeg after first-ballot victory
New NDP Leader Avi Lewis spoke after a first-ballot victory on Sunday at the party’s convention in Winnipeg. Winning the leadership with 56 per cent of the vote, Lewis called on the NDP to build ‘a shared future, a government that works for the many, not the money.’
Beck says that contradicts Lewis’ campaign promise of prioritizing affordability, and goes against the values built by the founder of the NDP, Tommy Douglas.
“Our resource sectors, now and moving forward, are how we deliver on Tommy Douglas’ dream of universal health care, good schools, and strong social supports for our most vulnerable,” Beck wrote.
Despite the criticism, Beck says she is open to meeting with Lewis if he publicly reverses his positions and “show a willingness to try to understand the realities of our province and the thousands of proud Saskatchewan workers who rely on our industries to feed their families.”
Lewis’ campaign has not responded to CBC’s request for a response at the time of publication.