Peter Kent

The Honourable Peter Kent PC MP
Official Opposition Critic for Foreign Affairs
Incumbent
Assumed office July 13, 2016
Leader	Rona Ambrose
Preceded by	Tony Clement
Member of the Canadian Parliament for Thornhill
Incumbent
Assumed office October 14, 2008
Preceded by	Susan Kadis
Minister of the Environment
In office November 4, 2011 – July 15, 2013
Prime Minister	Stephen Harper
Preceded by	John Baird
Succeeded by	Leona Aglukkaq
Chair of the Standing Committee on National Defence
In office October 29, 2013 – February 4, 2016
Minister	Rob Nicholson Jason Kenney
Preceded by	James Bezan
Succeeded by	Robert Nault
Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development
Incumbent
Assumed office February 4, 2016
Minister	Stephane Dion
Personal details
Born	July 27, 1943 Sussex, United Kingdom[1]
Political party	Conservative
Spouse(s)	Cilla Kent
Children	Trilby Kent
Residence	Thornhill, Ontario, Canada
Profession	News editor

Peter Kent, PC, MP (born July 27, 1943) is a Conservative member of parliament for the riding of Thornhill, and the former Minister of the Environment in the 28th Canadian Ministry. Before entering politics, he was Deputy Editor of the Global Television Network, a Canadian TV network. He has worked as a news editor, producer, foreign correspondent and news anchorman on Canadian and American television networks.

Background

Kent was born in Sussex, England in a Canadian Army Hospital. Both parents serving with the Canadian Army. The family moved to Canada and, after a period in Ottawa, settled in Medicine Hat, Alberta. His parents were Aileen and Parker Kent (both now deceased). The elder Kent was a long-time employee of the Southam Newspaper Group who retired as associate editor of the Calgary Herald. Peter Kent's younger brother, Arthur, is also a journalist, known in the first Gulf War as the "scud stud".^[2] There were three sisters, Adele and Norma and Susan. The latter, a book editor and writer, died in 2014.^[3]

Peter Kent is married to Cilla, a former print journalist with South Africa's Argus newspaper group (a Cape Town paper now part of the Irish-based Independent News & Media) for over 26 years. They have a daughter, Trilby, who published her first novel, Medina Hill, in October 2009.^[4]

Kent was a member of the board of Canadian Coalition for Democracies^[5] and has represented them at public events such as a demonstration supporting publication of the controversial Muhammed cartoons.^[6]

Kent is a member of the Canadian Broadcast Hall of Fame and a past member of the Board of the Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television. He is also a Founding Supporter of Canadians for Defence and Security and was a member of the board of the revitalized ParticipACTION. He was a board member of the pro-Israel media advocacy group Honest Reporting Canada, and co-Chair of Ontario Cabinet for the Canadian Museum for Human Rights.^[7]

Journalism

Kent at the 2000 Gemini Awards.

Kent began his career as a radio journalist in the early 1960s. He then moved to television, joining Calgary station CFCN-TV in 1965 and subsequently worked for CBC Television, CTV, Global, NBC and the Christian Science Monitor's television newscast.

In 1966, he went to South East Asia to cover the Vietnam War as a freelance foreign correspondent. He stayed on to cover the final withdrawal of US troops from Vietnam in 1973 and covered the fall of Cambodia to the Khmer Rouge in 1975.^[8] Kent returned to Canada and worked as a producer for CBC's The National and, in 1976, he became the broadcast's anchorman after Lloyd Robertson moved to CTV News.

In 1978 Kent agreed to step down as anchorman of The National after he submitted an intervention to the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) recommending that the Corporation's licence not be renewed until management created procedures and protocols to prevent political interference in the CBC's editorial decision-making. Kent's complaint involved messages conveyed through the then CBC President Al Johnson from the Prime Minister's Office that resulted in cancellation of a speech by Premier René Lévesque and coverage of a speech by Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau. As a result of his intervention and descent from The National anchor desk, Kent accepted assignment to the newly created African Bureau of the CBC, located in Johannesburg.

The CBC subsequently created protocols to govern Prime Ministerial access to the public broadcaster. They remain in effect today, and the most recent example was the speech made to the country by Prime Minister Jean Chrétien on the eve of the 1995 Quebec referendum. Kent returned briefly in 1978 to testify at a grievance hearing initiated by an unsuccessful anchor candidate who complained that Knowlton Nash, the vice-president of CBC News, had appointed himself to succeed Kent. In that testimony Kent—the first journalist to anchor The National—supported Nash's credentials.

Kent returned to Canada and the CBC in 1982 as a founding producer, correspondent and occasional co-host of The Journal, hosted by Barbara Frum and Mary Lou Finlay.

On January 24, 1984, the CBC television program The Journal broadcast a full edition documentary called "The Greenhouse Effect and Planet Earth," hosted, narrated and written by Kent. Broadcast more than 27 years ago, this may be one of the first major media reports on the subject. Kent concluded with these words: "The greenhouse effect must be considered as the world's greatest environmental concern."^[9]

In 1984 Kent moved to NBC serving in Miami, Washington and New York bureaus and as the US network's senior European correspondent in the late 1980s, winning four Emmy nominations with the network. He then reported for and was back-up anchorman for John Hart and John Palmer at the Christian Science Monitor's World Monitor television news service. One of Kent's feature report series - on challenges in American inner cities - was awarded the Robert F. Kennedy Award.

In 1987, Peter Kent was a reporter on the team that produced the documentary “Six Days Plus 20 Years: A Dream Is Dying” which was condemned by both the Israeli left and right, including Premier Yitzhak Shamir, Foreign Minister Shimon Peres and Defense Minister Yitzhak Rabin, who were some of several Israeli government officials who refused to engage with NBC for a period of time afterwards.^[10][11][12] Kent returned to Canada to join Global News in 1992, and was the anchorman of its flagship news program First National until 2001. He then anchored the business news show MoneyWise on Global and Prime.

Political career

In the 2006 federal election, Kent ran as the Conservative Party of Canada candidate in the Toronto riding of St. Paul's. He placed second with 25.76% of the vote against the incumbent, Carolyn Bennett of the Liberals (50.25%), and ahead of Paul Summerville of the New Democratic Party (19.19%).

Kent ran again for the Conservatives in the 2008 election, this time in the riding of Thornhill, and was elected, defeating incumbent Susan Kadis by 5200 votes.^[13]

Kent was named to the junior cabinet post of Minister of State of Foreign Affairs (Americas) several weeks after the election. In an interview with journalist Steve Paikin on December 7, 2009, Kent acknowledged that as Minister, he is instructed to only use language vetted by the PMO, on occasion lifting Stephen Harper's statements from newspaper reports: "So when we're asked about the Israeli position on settlements, we never criticize Israel publicly. We say those settlements are 'unhelpful' in finding a comprehensive peace settlement. We've put on the record our position on nuclear power and India. We say 'it's no longer the 1970's, it's now 2009.' I saw the prime minister's quote in the newspapers to that effect yesterday, and so I used it today."^[14] Kent's comment that his government does not criticize Israel publicly was contradicted several months later by his senior minister, Lawrence Cannon, who went on record in the House of Commons "condemning" Israel's expansion of illegal settlements.^[15]

Minister of the Environment

In a cabinet shuffle on January 4, 2011, Kent was named Minister of the Environment.^[16]

In November 2011, Kent participated in the Durban Conference and in December of the same year announced that Canada would formally begin the process to withdraw from the Kyoto Protocol on climate change.^[17] Kent stated that “Kyoto, for Canada, is in the past,” predicted that other countries would also abandon Kyoto, and expressed his hope that a new agreement could be forged by 2015 that included the United States and China, the top two polluters.^[17] Kent claimed that the only way for Canada to avoid paying $14 billion of carbon offset penalties for failing to meet its Kyoto commitments was to withdraw, although there is no mechanism for fines in Kyoto, and Canada could have joined countries such as Japan that stayed in Kyoto without accepting new targets.^[17][18]

While defending the withdrawal from Kyoto during the December 14, 2011 session of the Canadian House of Commons, Kent criticized NDP Environment Critic Megan Leslie for not being at the Durban Conference despite his ministry having banned participation from all opposition MPs.^[19] During the heckling from opposition MPs over this statement, Justin Trudeau shouted "You piece of shit!" at Kent, but later apologized for losing his temper over Kent's statements regarding opposition participation in Durban.^[19] In December 2012, Canada became the first country to formally withdraw from the Kyoto Protocol.^[18]

As Minister of the Environment, Kent was a vocal supporter of the development of the oil sands, in line with the conservative government's stated economic priorities. He went so far as to make accusations of treason against opposition party members. "One of the opposition parties has taken the treacherous course of leaving the domestic debate and heading abroad to attack a legitimate Canadian resource which is being responsibly developed and regulated," Kent told reporters. This was in response to two NDP members of Parliament going to Washington to argue the Keystone pipeline should not go ahead until Canada has come up with a better plan to combat climate change.^[20]

In a CBC interview, Kent stated there is no evidence that the oil sands developments are polluting the Athabasca River.^[21][22] His statement was later contrasted by a "secret" Environment Canada presentation released under FOI. The presentation highlights contamination of the Athabasca River as a high-profile concern. Citing elevated levels of pollutants near mining sites including hydrocarbons and heavy metals, possible effects on health of wildlife and downstream communities, and questioning current government data which is unable to generate a "big picture" view of impacts on the ecosystem.^[23][24]

Kent was an advocate of improving the Species At Risk Act, in particular making it apply to whole ecosystems rather than just individual species.^[25]

Legacy

Kent was demoted from cabinet in the summer of 2013, shortly after his 70th birthday, in a cabinet shuffle which Prime Minister Harper described “generational change” in order to make room for younger MPs to become ministers.^[26] He has been described by some critics such as environmentalist Rick Smith as “Canada’s Worst Environment Minister Ever” for allegedly being a "green rubber stamp for destructive, ill-considered, industrial behaviour, all while glibly blaming “foreign interests” for meddling with Canada’s overwhelmingly foreign-owned oil and gas sector" by restricting the ability of environmental assessment to limit pipeline construction, walking away from the Kyoto Protocol after the country had signed it, reducing protection for lakes and rivers, disbanding the National Round Table on the Environment and the Economy on the basis NRTEE had become an anachronistic entity.

Kent has named his accomplishments as being wastewater regulation, changes to the Species at Risk Act and overseeing greenhouse gas regulations for vehicle emissions, regulation of Canada's coal-fired electricity sector and banning the construction of any new coal-fired generating units. He regrets he was unable to convince cabinet colleagues to implement greenhouse gas regulations for the oil and gas industry.^[26]

Backbench

As a backbench MP, Kent has called on the government to fund HPV vaccinations for boys, in addition to current vaccination programs for girls, after he survived a bout with throat and tongue cancer at the end of 2013.^[27] He also criticized the Harper government for drawing up an "enemies list" of uncooperative bureaucrats and hostile stakeholders.^[28]

Prior to his demotion from cabinet, Kent stated his intention of running in the 2015 federal election.^[28][29] Kent was re-elected on October 19, 2015.^[30][31]

Electoral record

Canadian federal election, 2015: Thornhill
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	∆%	Expenditures
	Conservative	Peter Kent	31,911	58.60	-4.59	–
	Liberal	Nancy Coldham	18,395	33.80	+11.31	–
	New Democratic	Lorne Cherry	2,814	5.20	-6.29	–
	Green	Josh Rachlis	627	1.20	-1.28	–
	Libertarian	Gene Balfour	587	1.10	–	–
	Seniors	Margaret Leigh Fairbairn	157	0.30	–	–
Total valid votes/Expense limit			54,491	100.0		$215,928.93
Total rejected ballots			324	0.59	+0.13
Turnout			54,815	67.20	+6.22
Eligible voters			81,106
	Conservative hold		Swing		-7.95
Source: Elections Canada[32][33]

Canadian federal election, 2011: Thornhill
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	∆%	Expenditures
	Conservative	Peter Kent	36,629	61.38	+12.37
	Liberal	Karen Mock	14,125	23.67	-15.76
	New Democratic	Simon Strelchik	7,141	11.97	+5.35
	Green	Norbert Koehl	1,562	2.62	-2.32
	Animal Alliance	Liz White	215	0.36	–
Total valid votes/Expense limit			59,672	100.00
Total rejected ballots			275	0.46	–
Turnout			59,947	60.98	–
Eligible voters			98,312	–	–
	Conservative hold		Swing		+14.07

Canadian federal election, 2008: Thornhill
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	∆%	Expenditures
	Conservative	Peter Kent	26,660	49.01	+15.30	$91,400
	Liberal	Susan Kadis	21,448	39.43	-13.67	$62,484
	New Democratic	Simon Strelchik	3,601	6.62	-1.19	$4,835
	Green	Norbert Koehl	2,686	4.94	+1.51	$7,314
Total valid votes/Expense limit			54,395	100.00	$95,547
	Conservative gain from Liberal		Swing		+14.49

Canadian federal election, 2006: St. Paul's
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	∆%
	Liberal	Carolyn Bennett	29,295	50.3	-8.1
	Conservative	Peter Kent	15,021	25.8	+5.4
	New Democratic	Paul Summerville	11,189	19.2	+3.5
	Green	Kevin Farmer	2,785	4.8	-0.7
Total valid votes			58,290	100.0
	Liberal hold		Swing		-6.75

References

1. Kent aims to expose Liberal 'scaremongering'
2. Hilton, Andrew (Spring 1994). "The Scud Stud has Come Home". Ryerson Review of Journalism. Retrieved 2015-10-05.
3. "Obituary: Aileen Susan Kent Davison". The Star (Toronto). Toronto Star. Retrieved 30 September 2014.
4. "Author spotlight". McLelland.com. Retrieved 2015-10-23.
5. Goodard, John, "PM's new recruit urged to clarify views", Toronto Star, January 8, 2007.
6. "Toronto marchers back right to publish Muhammad cartoons". CBC News. March 11, 2006. Retrieved October 23, 2015.
7. "Up close and personal with incumbent, challengers". York Region.com. April 26, 2011. Retrieved October 23, 2015.
8. "Peter Kent biography" (PDF). Toronto.ca. Retrieved October 23, 2015.
9. "The greenhouse effect and planet Earth". CBC Archives. January 24, 1984. Retrieved October 23, 2010.
10. Corry, John (July 1, 1987). "Six Days Plus 20 Years". The New York Times. Retrieved 9 October 2015.
11. "NBC and Israel Agree". Jewish Telegraph Agency. August 3, 1987. Retrieved 9 October 2015.
12. Schwed, Mark (July 28, 1987). "NBC says Israel bans leaders from talking to network". UPI. Retrieved 9 October 2015.
13. "Thornhill – Canada Votes". CBC News. October 14, 2008. Retrieved October 23, 2010.
14. "Three Questions for Peter Kent". tvo. December 7, 2009. Retrieved October 23, 2009.
15. Ivison, John (September 7, 2010). "Minister defends Canada's support of Israel". National Post. Retrieved October 23, 2015.
16. "Kent, Fantino take cabinet posts". CBC News. January 4, 2011. Retrieved October 23, 2015.
17. Curry, Bill and Shawn McCarthy (6 September 2012). "Canada formally abandons Kyoto Protocol on climate change". Globe and Mail. Retrieved 15 September 2015.
18. De Souza, Mike (14 December 2012). "It's official: Harper government withdraws from Kyoto climate agreement". Postmedia. Retrieved 15 September 2015.
19. Fitzpatrick, Meagan (14 December 2011). "Justin Trudeau apologizes for swearing at Kent". CBC News. Retrieved 15 September 2015.
20. Ljunggren, David (November 16, 2011). "Oil sands opponents "treacherous": Canadian environment minister". Reuters. Retrieved October 23, 2015.
21. http://blogs.canoe.ca/eyeonthehill/environment/more-than-just-ethical-oil//
22. Wherry, Aaron (January 10, 2011). "'It's bait and switch'". Maclean's. Retrieved October 23, 2015.
23. "'Secret' Environment Canada Presentation Warns Of Oilsands' Impact On Habitat". Huffington Post. 2011-12-22.
24. "'Secret' Environment Canada study warns of oil sands' impact on habitat". Financial Post. Postmedia. December 22, 2011. Retrieved October 23, 2015.
25. "Kent eyes wildlife protection reform, but not in omnibus budget bill". CBC News. September 15, 2012. Retrieved October 23, 2015.
26. "Shuffled out of cabinet – but hopefully not forgotten". Global News. July 16, 2013. Retrieved December 28, 2014.
27. "Peter Kent wants Joe Oliver to fund HPV vaccine for boys". CBC News. October 8, 2014. Retrieved December 28, 2014.
28. "Peter Kent criticizes Harper's 'enemy' list, drawing comparison to Nixon era". Vancouver Observer. July 17, 2013. Retrieved December 28, 2014.
29. "Peter Kent says he won't be upset to lose cabinet post". CBC News. July 5, 2013. Retrieved October 23, 2015.
30. "Conservative Peter Kent wins re-election in Thornhill". Toronto Star. October 20, 2015. Retrieved October 23, 2015.
31. "Liberals sweep Brampton, Mississauga". CBC News. October 19, 2015. Retrieved October 23, 2015.
32. Elections Canada – Confirmed candidates for Thornhill, 30 September 2015
33. Elections Canada – Preliminary Election Expenses Limits for Candidates

External links

• Peter Kent official site
• Profile at Parliament of Canada
• Peter Kent – Parliament of Canada biography
• Speeches, votes and activity at OpenParliament.ca