The recent resignation of Steven Guilbeault from the federal cabinet has cast a spotlight on a political career that was always an unconventional fit, one that began not in the halls of power but while dangling from the side of the CN Tower under arrest.
From Handcuffs to House of Commons
It is a rare sight to see a federal politician in handcuffs, which is why old photos of Steven Guilbeault consistently attract attention. The image from 2001, showing him under arrest by armed police, has gained renewed significance following his principled departure from cabinet on Thursday, November 29, 2025.
Guilbeault resigned in protest of an agreement between Ottawa and Alberta that advocates for a new oil pipeline. This act of defiance rekindles the same fiery conviction that first made him a newsmaker as an environmental activist, a figure some opponents once labeled a reckless radical.
The CN Tower Stunt: A Defining Act of Disobedience
His resignation is arguably his most significant act of political disobedience since his final arrest as a Greenpeace activist. In July 2001, a 31-year-old Guilbeault scaled Toronto's iconic CN Tower, reaching a height of 340 metres.
Before being arrested, he and a colleague unfurled a banner that read "Canada and Bush Climate Killers," a pointed critique aimed at both the Canadian government and then-U.S. President George W. Bush. The dramatic 12-hour protest was designed to push for the ratification of the Kyoto Protocol, an international treaty to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
The spectacle, eagerly covered by news crews, cemented Guilbeault's status as one of Canada's most prominent activists, sharply dividing public opinion between admiration and contempt.
A Contrast in Images: Radical Past vs. Political Present
The visual record of his activist days paints a stark picture. In the arrest photos, a stern-faced Guilbeault with unkempt, swept-back hair and a bright jumpsuit—mistakable for prison garb—has his hands chained. The overall effect is more akin to a movie villain than a future statesman.
This stands in sharp contrast to his recent public image as a 55-year-old cabinet minister. In the House of Commons, he was known for his suit and tie, heavy glasses, and a shaggy hairstyle that lent him a more scholarly, perhaps even nerdy, appearance.
Guilbeault himself seems to acknowledge this duality. When he first ran for office as a star Liberal candidate in the Montreal riding of Laurier—Sainte-Marie in 2019, he hung a photo from the CN Tower incident on his campaign office wall. Notably, he chose an image of himself dangling from ropes in front of the massive sign, not the one of him in police custody.
At the time, when asked about a new generation of environmental activists shutting down bridges in Montreal, the would-be politician indicated he had moved on from such tactics. "I decided I've already done that. As the anglophones say, 'Been there, done that, got the T-shirt,'" he said. "I've decided to pursue my political action differently."
His recent resignation, however, proves that while his methods evolved, the core principles that once drove him to scale the CN Tower remain very much intact.
