Infamous environmental activist David Suzuki has issued a stark warning to Prime Minister Mark Carney’s government, calling for the complete dismantling of Canada’s fossil fuel pipeline system to avert catastrophic climate change.Speaking on theThursday, episode of CBC’s Front Burner podcast with host Jayme Poisson, Suzuki described the continued expansion of fossil fuel infrastructure as “moral and economic madness.”“Our production of more and more fossil fuel emissions is digging our own grave,” he said. “And if you’re digging your own grave, the first rule is: stop digging.”The comments come in light of developments with the federal government recently passing Bill C-5 (Building Canada Act), which fast-tracks infrastructure projects deemed in Canada’s national interest, including a possible new pipeline for fossil fuels from Alberta..David Suzuki accused of misleading image use to raise donations.The 89-year-old Vancouver native, previously described by CBC as, “one of the most renowned and respected voices in the environmental movement,” argued that despite Carney’s understanding of the climate crisis, he remains constrained by the economic and political systems underpinning our current industrial society.Suzuki insisted that scrapping these systems entirely is now the only viable path to avoid complete environmental collapse.This isn’t the first time Suzuki has railed against pipelines and courted controversy.At a Nov. 20, 2021, Extinction Rebellion rally held in Victoria, he told a reporter, “there are gonna be pipelines blown up if leaders don’t address climate change.”Since Carney assumed office, he has positioned Canada as an aspiring “energy superpower,” particularly in response to US President Donald Trump’s tariffs and ongoing trade tensions.Carney has openly supported new pipeline construction, stating in a May 2025 CTV News interview that he backs a pipeline if public consensus exists..David Suzuki Foundation targets BC with anti-LNG ad campaign.A Nanos poll from April 2025 found that approximately three in four Canadians support building a new east-west pipeline.In June, Carney met with oil and gas executives and proposed a “grand bargain” that included tentative support for new pipelines and a multibillion-dollar carbon capture project aimed at producing “decarbonized oil” from Alberta’s oil sands, which hold the world’s third-largest proven oil reserves.Premier Danielle Smith welcomed Carney’s proposal but also cautioned that Canada risks losing investment to the US, where energy policies are currently more favourable.“Industry capital is mobile, and right now, the US looks far more attractive,” Smith told Energy Source last month.Industry advocates have argued Suzuki’s calls to completely abandon pipelines overlook Canada’s economic realities, where oil and gas employ thousands and fund critical public services.Despite these arguments, Suzuki continues to bang his drum, warning that humanity’s survival depends on bold, systemic change, as once again, there’s only “five years” left to reverse catastrophe.
