Environment
Happy New Year to all my faithful readers. My next topic seems timely as the environment has supplanted health care as the number one issue. This year global warming is especially important when one considers how little or in some cases no snow the Eastern half of the country has received. When I moved to Toronto, I expected cold and snowy winters, not mild and wet winters like I was use to in Vancouver, yet so far to date that is what we have been experiencing.
Now I should note that global warming is a very important issue to tackle, but not the only component of a successful environmental policy
Kyoto Protocol
I believe the science behind global warming is quite strong and don't doubt we must take action. While Kyoto Protocol is one way of achieving this, my main goal is what we deliver, not through what mechanism. I would rather we not sign Kyoto Protocol and dramatically reduce GHGs then sign it and do nothing. However not signing it and doing nothing as the current government is doing is clearly not acceptable. I was opposed to Canada signing Kyoto Protocol for two reasons
1. I believe you develop a plan before you sign, not sign and develop a plan after.
2. No one region or sector of the economy should be unfairly targeted.
Had Paul Martin as opposed to Jean Chretien been PM, I probably would have been more supportive since I know Paul Martin would never unfairly target Alberta, whereas I was less sure about that on Jean Chretien. I am also confident Stephane Dion would not single out any one province.
Now that we've signed Kyoto Protocol we have an obligation to do the best we can to meet our targets and if we fall short, as we likely will, that means we must take even more aggressive efforts in our second phase, otherwise we will have some catch up to do.
I don't pretend to be an expert on how to meet our targets, but these are some things that I think would help go a long way.
1. Bring in a revenue neutral tax that lowers taxes on green companies and raises them on high polluting ones.
2. Remove the GST on hybrid cars while slap a pollution tax on SUVs and gas guzzling cars
3. Work with industry to seek voluntary targets where possible, but if industry refuses to go along, then introduce mandatory reductions.
4. Put more into R&D in green technologies so as we can shift our economy towards a greener one.
5. Finally last by not least, individuals should make a more conscious effort to do their part since governments alone cannot do all the lifting, we as Canadians must do our part. I do my part by taking the streetcar everyday to work and back
I believe we can have a strong economy and a clean environment at the same time, it is not an either or. Any party that says we must choose between one or the other should be rejected.
Other Environmental Issues
While global warming is the most pressing one, there are other important ones to deal with. We should take action to reduce smog which I've heard is quite bad here in Toronto in the summer. We also need to work with the Americans to clean up the Great Lakes. In terms of water diversion, there should be a moratorium on major diversions and bulk water exports until such time as a proper study can be done on its effects. I am not outright opposed to bulk water exports if they are properly controlled, but until such time as we can figure out how to do that, we should leave it off the table since it will be very difficult to turn back the clock if we do it wrong.
We should also work with developing countries on developing cleaner energy by helping encourage a stronger green export sector. We also need to work with other countries including the United States on cleaning up the environment. Even though the US record is not very good, bashing them to score political points doesn't do any of us good. Rather we need to be more forceful in trying to establish better environmental management and even signing similiar treaties such as the Acid Rain Treaty, which was signed under the Mulroney government. We also should work with state governments interested in reducing GHGs since despite the resistance on the environment file by the Bush administration, many state governments such as California have been showing leadership here so we should work with them. Here in Canada we should also work with each province to see they do their part in areas that fall under their jurisdiction.
My next topic will be on cultural policy, which although not relevant to anything major today, it is an area I am definitely to the right of the Liberal Party but not as right wing as most Tories.
Now I should note that global warming is a very important issue to tackle, but not the only component of a successful environmental policy
Kyoto Protocol
I believe the science behind global warming is quite strong and don't doubt we must take action. While Kyoto Protocol is one way of achieving this, my main goal is what we deliver, not through what mechanism. I would rather we not sign Kyoto Protocol and dramatically reduce GHGs then sign it and do nothing. However not signing it and doing nothing as the current government is doing is clearly not acceptable. I was opposed to Canada signing Kyoto Protocol for two reasons
1. I believe you develop a plan before you sign, not sign and develop a plan after.
2. No one region or sector of the economy should be unfairly targeted.
Had Paul Martin as opposed to Jean Chretien been PM, I probably would have been more supportive since I know Paul Martin would never unfairly target Alberta, whereas I was less sure about that on Jean Chretien. I am also confident Stephane Dion would not single out any one province.
Now that we've signed Kyoto Protocol we have an obligation to do the best we can to meet our targets and if we fall short, as we likely will, that means we must take even more aggressive efforts in our second phase, otherwise we will have some catch up to do.
I don't pretend to be an expert on how to meet our targets, but these are some things that I think would help go a long way.
1. Bring in a revenue neutral tax that lowers taxes on green companies and raises them on high polluting ones.
2. Remove the GST on hybrid cars while slap a pollution tax on SUVs and gas guzzling cars
3. Work with industry to seek voluntary targets where possible, but if industry refuses to go along, then introduce mandatory reductions.
4. Put more into R&D in green technologies so as we can shift our economy towards a greener one.
5. Finally last by not least, individuals should make a more conscious effort to do their part since governments alone cannot do all the lifting, we as Canadians must do our part. I do my part by taking the streetcar everyday to work and back
I believe we can have a strong economy and a clean environment at the same time, it is not an either or. Any party that says we must choose between one or the other should be rejected.
Other Environmental Issues
While global warming is the most pressing one, there are other important ones to deal with. We should take action to reduce smog which I've heard is quite bad here in Toronto in the summer. We also need to work with the Americans to clean up the Great Lakes. In terms of water diversion, there should be a moratorium on major diversions and bulk water exports until such time as a proper study can be done on its effects. I am not outright opposed to bulk water exports if they are properly controlled, but until such time as we can figure out how to do that, we should leave it off the table since it will be very difficult to turn back the clock if we do it wrong.
We should also work with developing countries on developing cleaner energy by helping encourage a stronger green export sector. We also need to work with other countries including the United States on cleaning up the environment. Even though the US record is not very good, bashing them to score political points doesn't do any of us good. Rather we need to be more forceful in trying to establish better environmental management and even signing similiar treaties such as the Acid Rain Treaty, which was signed under the Mulroney government. We also should work with state governments interested in reducing GHGs since despite the resistance on the environment file by the Bush administration, many state governments such as California have been showing leadership here so we should work with them. Here in Canada we should also work with each province to see they do their part in areas that fall under their jurisdiction.
My next topic will be on cultural policy, which although not relevant to anything major today, it is an area I am definitely to the right of the Liberal Party but not as right wing as most Tories.
posted by Monkey Loves to Fight | 12:21 PM
|
2 comments
