Tory leadership candidate's climate plan is to 'drill, drill, build pipelines' and 'adapt'

Power Play: Karahalios seeking Tory leadership Conservative leadership candidate Jim Karahalios says the race is 'an establishment Red Tory coronation for Erin O'Toole or Peter MacKay.'

OTTAWA — Conservative Leadership Candidate Jim Karahalios says his environmental plan would be to "drill, drill, build pipelines" and "adapt."

During an episode of CTV Power Play on Wednesday, host Evan Solomon asked Karahalios how he would get pipelines built in Canada, given the difficulties the current government is facing with vocal opposition to energy projects.

In response, Karahalios laid out his environmental plan.

"My environmental plan is going to be to drill, drill, build pipelines right across this country and adapt. That's my environmental plan, and we need pipelines," Karahalios said.

Solomon said that sounded like a natural resources plan, and asked Karahalios to confirm that "drill, drill" would really be his environmental plan.

"Yes, it is," Karahalios said.

"Every barrel of oil that stays in the ground in Canada means an extra barrel of oil that comes from countries overseas with worse environmental records and poorer standards than our own."

Karahalios added that his climate plan would be to "adapt," adding that "industry is leading the way on this."

"A carbon tax and the Paris Accord is not solving anything," Karahalios said.

Karahalios isn't the first Conservative leadership hopeful to touch on what their approach to the environment would be should they take over the helm of the party.

During an interview on CTV’s Question Period that aired Feb. 23, Peter MacKay said he would scrap the carbon tax yet "try" to meet the Paris Climate targets.

“It’s aspirational,” he said of the Paris Agreement, while taking the opportunity to swipe at the carbon tax.

“A carbon tax does not lessen [emissions]; it gives licence to pollute.”

Meanwhile Erin O'Toole, who has also vocally opposed the carbon tax, told The Toronto Star his government would have a climate plan -- though he didn't say what it would contain, telling them only that he would come out with the plan at least a year before an election.