April 2025
I can’t let letter writer Kyle Tilley comments regarding Pierre Poilievre’s plan to cancel the ban on single-use plastics go unchallenged, a Letter to the Editor that appeared in Metroland Media newspapers.
Firstly, unless the entire world bans all plastics, not just straws and bags, our little exercise in virtue-signaling is a complete waste of time. Canada’s contribution to the world’s plastic waste is much smaller compared to other countries, even on a per capita basis. It’s the same with regards to carbon emissions too, the emissions that Progressives want us to pay taxes to the carbon gods, but I digress.
That said, the biggest problem with plastic is not the use of it, nor even the disposal or recycling of it. The biggest problem is that we fail to ensure it’s disposed in a way that doesn’t result in it ending up in the world’s oceans and rivers. Specifically, we ship large amounts of our recyclables to third world countries to be “recycled.”
In 2022, Canada shipped 202 million kilograms of plastic waste, up from 183 million kilograms the year before, to countries like Indonesia and Philippines. In 2019, Philippines sent back 69 shipping containers of rotting waste to Canada, some of it mislabeled as recyclable material. Yes, that’s right, my fellow Canadians, Philippines sent back the rotting garbage that we sent to them for disposal, with little regard as to how exactly the refuse meets it’s final end. That is the REAL problem.
Instead, Canada should keep all our waste within Canadian borders, and ensure that it is disposed of in the most environmentally responsible way. That could include imposing a deposit-return program on things like single-use plastic bottles, with the respective bottling company, Coca Cola for example, being ultimately responsible for ensuring the proper disposal/recycling of their products. Brewers Retail has a very successful deposit-return program that keeps around 80%-90% of beer bottles out of the landfills.
Yes, Mr. Tilley, “Canadians have already adapted to life without many of these single-use plastics.” However, most of the alternatives are not great options. All I need to do to send many running from the room, screaming in terror, is to say “Paper Straw.”
That is why Poilievre is planning to bring back plastic straws, at least until we find a better solution than paper straws.
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The original Letter to the Editor that sparked my column. Published in the Hamilton Spectator, 18 April 2025
LETTER: Why is Poilievre planning to bring back plastic straws?
Instead of supporting efforts to combat pollution and climate change, Mr. Poilievre doubled down on his promise to scrap Canada’s single-use plastics ban — vowing to bring back plastic straws, shopping bags and other items that have been choking our oceans and waterways for decades.
Mr. Poilievre is trying to drag Canada backward. It sends a clear message: the Conservative Party under his leadership is not serious about the environment, nor about the future of our planet.
Plastic pollution is a real and growing problem. We’ve all seen the heartbreaking images of sea turtles with straws stuck in their noses, or beaches littered with bags and bottles.
Scientists have warned us time and again that single-use plastics are a major contributor to marine pollution, and that microplastics are now found in the fish we eat and the water we drink. So why would any responsible leader want to bring these products back?
The truth is, Canadians have already adapted to life without many of these single-use plastics. We bring our own cloth bags to the grocery store. We use reusable water bottles and coffee cups.
What Mr. Poilievre seems to be offering is not a thoughtful environmental policy, but a political gimmick.
That’s why this backward promise is not only disappointing — it’s also politically out of touch. While Mr. Poilievre makes headlines about plastic straws, the Liberals under Mark Carney are focused on investing in green energy, protecting biodiversity and meeting Canada’s climate goals.
Sources: This Indonesian activist wants Canada to stop sending plastic waste abroad | CBC News, Philippines ships 69 containers of dumped rubbish back to Canada | Environment News | Al Jazeera, www.thespec.com.
