Prominent environmentalist Louise Comeau - one of the premier's key climate action advisors - has been fired by the provincial government, Public Eye has learned. Her firing comes just eight months after she was hired as the climate action secretariat's public outreach and strategic engagement executive director. Reached for comment, Ms. Comeau - who was awarded a four-month severance package - gave this brief statement: "It seems the fit wasn't right. And I wish everybody luck. And the issue is very important. And I hope the government succeeds in what it's trying to do."

Government was tight-lipped when contacted about the firing, refusing to respond to repeated requests for details on the firing. But New Democrat environment critic Shane Simpson was more verbose. "Ms. Comeau came to this position with quite a bit of fanfare because of the the environmental credentials and the credentials around community engagement that she brought to the table," Mr. Simpson said. "She's now been fired. And somebody should be explaining whether it's this government's complete lack of willingness to engage the public and do the right thing that forced her out."

Ms. Comeau joined the secretariat following a storied career as an environmental advocate, which included a stint as the Federation of Canadian Municipalities' sustainable communities and environmental policy director.