Leaked emails asking civil servants to stop using the term “climate change” on social media have landed Doug Ford in hot water as Ontario reels from a spike in forest fires. The premier’s office calls the emails “false.”

Emails published on the Toronto-based blogTO show messages sent by Ontario Parks Social Media Coordinator Anne MacLachlan and Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry’s Director of Communications Services Lisa Sarracini. The two emails appear to be directing staffers that, as “per Premier’s Office direction, we are not allowed to mention climate change in social media content at this time.”

If just ignoring the devestating reality of climate change made it go away then we would have solved it by now. Premier Ford tells Govt staff not to even mention the words “climate change”. He can come visit our fire-ravaged towns if he wants reality check https://t.co/dBwxefWgdX — Nathan Cullen (@nathancullen) August 24, 2018

BlogTO claims that “at least two” staffers confirmed the emails were authentic. However, the premier’s office now says that it “has never given direction to anyone in the government not to use the term climate change on social media. To say otherwise is 100 per cent false.”

PCs say story circulating re Ontario Parks employees not allowed to use the word ‘climate change’ on social media is “not accurate.” #onpolipic.twitter.com/SJK3mAjxKz — Cristina Tenaglia (@cristina_CP24) August 24, 2018

According to Global News Canada, three of Ontario’s top bureaucrats confirmed that the government has now launched an official investigation into the leak to rectify any inaccuracies.

The publication of the emails sparked a wave of fury aimed at the Ontario premier’s office after the spate of forest fires that rocked the province over summer. One angry user challenged the premier to visit their “fire-ravaged towns if he wants reality check.” The province has seen a staggering 1,118 fires as of August 21, a 72-percent increase in fires compared to the average over the last decade.

Gov't of the People, my ass. Try Gov't of the Stupid People. We had how many raging forest fires this year? And they do this? Shame. Shame on them and anyone that supports them.#climatechange#FordNation#Ontario#shamefulhttps://t.co/YNN1pUcoUG — T Cameron (@CreativeOddDuck) August 25, 2018

CLIMATE CHANGE!CLIMATE CHANGE!FORESTS ON FIRE IN ONTARIO!It’s not going away just because you don’t say the words. You can’t make money when the planets gone! But there is money to be made saving it. @fordnation burying your head in the sand won’t change the truth. — Alessandra Del Vecchio (@AlessandraDelV4) August 25, 2018

One Twitter user simply dubbed Ford “another mini-Trump.” Ford, a leader with very little political experience who frequently attacks the media, has previously been compared to the controversial US president.

Right out of the #Trump handbook. I wish I believed in Hell so I could take comfort in imagining that fat ass ⁦@fordnation⁩ burning in it. We’re all gonna be burning on Earth soon. ⁦@OntarioNewsNow⁩ ⁦@OntarioPCParty⁩ #ClimateChangehttps://t.co/OTGRlXxfRn — William Wright III (@IWilliamWright3) August 26, 2018

Ford has joined Trump in Ontario and has ordered provincial Ministries to not use words like "climate change". Ford is Canada's Trump on environment. — LimestoneJ (@MyCityNoGuns20) August 25, 2018

Federal Environment Minister Catherine McKenna tweeted that Ford’s government is “muzzling” staff with the social media ban. McKenna previously clashed with the premier after Ford axed the ‘cap and trade’ carbon emission initiative, which was replaced with no other initiative to reduce climate change.

If just ignoring the devestating reality of climate change made it go away then we would have solved it by now. Premier Ford tells Govt staff not to even mention the words “climate change”. He can come visit our fire-ravaged towns if he wants reality check https://t.co/dBwxefWgdX — Nathan Cullen (@nathancullen) August 24, 2018

WTF?! DoFo is truly proving to be another mini-Trump. And Ontario gave him a majority vote. Well we’ll just have to get a lot louder about climate change. To ignore it’s reality is foolish and dangerous. https://t.co/4TrnHE6HoY — Alison Kingelin (@Kingelin1) August 25, 2018

Every Ontario ministry now banned from using the term “climate change”. pic.twitter.com/3xW3mweNQG — Alex Anderson (@aanderson_94) August 25, 2018

“After Ontarians & Cdns have experienced extreme weather linked to climate change – extreme heat, forest fires, flooding – the Ontario gov’t appears to be muzzling @OntarioParks by banning words ‘climate change,’” she wrote.

After Ontarians & Cdns have experienced extreme weather linked to climate change -extreme heat, forest fires, flooding- the Ontario gov't appears to be muzzling @OntarioParks by banning words "climate change".Time to focus on climate action. We have a plan. Ontario has no plan. https://t.co/rqKTRKXqYo — Catherine McKenna 🇨🇦 (@cathmckenna) August 24, 2018

Green Party leader Mike Schreiner wrote to Ontario Environment Minister Rod Phillips asking him to clarify the climate change ban. Phillips responded with a letter that used the term no less than four times.

Ontario environment minister uses "climate change" four times in letter to Green leader saying there has been no give to forbid use of "climate change" in government. https://t.co/iGZU2MIMvz — Paul Wells (@InklessPW) August 24, 2018

“I assure you, we very much understand the challenges that climate change presents to our environment,” Phillips said in his letter, adding that the emails were “a mistake.”

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