Some Liberal MPs are insisting their caucus remains united despite Steven Guilbeault’s decision to quit cabinet over Prime Minister Mark Carney’s deal with Alberta that could lead to a new pipeline to the B.C. coast.

“The Liberal caucus is one that I greatly admire and respect. It crosses a lot of different cultures, a lot of different ideologies, a lot of different concerns but always co-operating for the interests of the common good,” Ontario MP Charles Sousa said Friday.

“I believe in the discussion that I’ve been having with them, and alongside my colleagues, we’re standing united.”

Sousa said the conversations taking place in caucus since Guilbeault’s decision to step down from cabinet, but remain a Liberal MP, are cordial and respectful and that “healthy debate is critical for us to succeed and do the right thing.” 

Sean Casey, Liberal MP for the P.E.I. riding of Charlottetown, praised Guilbeault’s dedication to fighting climate change and says he understands his decision.  

“We’re absolutely unified. There’s all kinds of room for different opinions in our caucus. There always has been,” Casey said. “I have absolutely no concerns about the health of caucus and the state of unity. None whatsoever.”

Guilbeault was first elected to the Montreal riding of Laurier-Sainte-Marie in 2019 and served in former prime minister Justin Trudeau’s cabinet as the minister for heritage, before moving on to the environment and climate change portfolio.

His green credentials run deep. Before entering electoral politics, he co-founded Équiterre, a Quebec-based environmental organization, and was the director of a provincial chapter of Greenpeace.

Peter Fragiskatos, the Liberal member for London Centre, said that despite the resignation the Liberal caucus remains “quite unified’ — a sentiment echoed by Montreal MP Anthony Housefather.

“One of the things that this shows, again, is that the Liberal Party is the one party in Canada where you’re allowed to have a diversity of views and our caucus has a diversity of views and I think that’s a strength because Canadians have a diversity of views,” he said.

Those affirmations of unity come after Carney’s decision to sign a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Alberta Premier Danielle Smith that agrees on the conditions to develop a new bitumen pipeline to the B.C. coast.

Under the agreement, the federal government commits to designating the pipeline as a project of “national interest” that will be referred to the Major Projects Office. 

WATCH | Liberal MPs react Thursday to news of Steven Guilbeault’s cabinet departure:

Liberal MPs react to news of Steven Guilbeault’s cabinet departure

November 27|

Liberal members of Parliament Bill Blair and Robert Oliphant react to news of Canadian Identity and Culture Minister Steven Guilbeault quitting his cabinet position as a result of the government signing an MOU with Alberta earlier Thursday. Guilbeault will remain in the Liberal caucus, representing his Montreal riding in the House of Commons.

That designation means the pipeline — and possibly the tankers associated with transporting the oil — could be exempted from some federal laws such as the Fisheries Act, the Species At Risk Act and the Impact Assessment Act.

Opposition to the deal was swift with environmentalists condemning the move and coastal First Nations in B.C. speaking up to oppose the agreement.

The same day the MOU was signed in Calgary, Guilbeault submitted his resignation letter.

“I chose to enter politics to champion the fight against climate change and the protection of the environment,” Guilbeault wrote in the letter that he posted online later Thursday.

“I remain one of those for whom environmental issues must remain front and centre. That’s why I strongly oppose the memorandum of understanding between the federal government and the government of Alberta.”

The issue will likely be a political challenge for Liberal MPs in B.C.

To mend that fence, Energy and Natural Resources Minister Tim Hodgson is in B.C. Friday meeting with Premier David Eby — who calls the pipeline an “energy vampire” distracting from “real” projects.

Many of the Liberal Party’s B.C. MPs were not in the House of Commons Friday and few have spoken publicly since the deal was signed. 

One exception to that is Wade Grant, the Liberal MP for Vancouver Quadra, who is a member of the Musqueam First Nation.

In a post on social media Thursday he described the MOU as an “initial step in exploring the possibility of a future project” adding that there is much more work to do and the deal “does not approve a pipeline” because there is still no private proponent or proposed route.

Grant said he will continue to raise concerns with his caucus, adding that “strong environmental protections … remain core commitments for the Liberal government with the prime minister’s support.”