RED DEER, Alta. – Alberta Wildrose Leader Danielle Smith now says she believes that climate change exists and that mankind is at least partially to blame.
Smith, who was speaking to reporters at the Wildrose party convention in Red Deer on Friday afternoon, says it’s clear that the greenhouse gas emissions need to be dealt with.
A day earlier, Environment Minister Diana McQueen and NDP Leader Brian Mason harshly criticized Smith for refusing to tell reporters where she stands on the issue of climate change.
In last year’s election, Smith was booed at a debate for saying the science of climate change was not settled.
It’s believed Premier Alison Redford won votes back to her party in the election by saying Alberta would be laughed off the international stage for denying climate change.
Smith says she hedged on the issue because she wasn’t sure where her party members stood, but says in recent days they’ve sent a strong message to her that climate change is a reality.
