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(Montreal, April 3, 2011) Equiterre is encouraged by the environmental and energy related aspects of the Liberal Party of Canada’s platform. The platform contains progressive policy proposals to improve Canada’s future in the clean energy economy as well as the environment.
Regulating greenhouse gas pollution:
“We credit the Liberal proposal to put in place a cap and trade system and are equally supportive of the proposal to auction the emissions credits and redistribute the profits on a regional basis. This is a much better alternative to simply giving emission credits to business as was recently proposed by the current government. It is also important to note that the cap and trade system would be based on ‘absolute’ caps instead of a much less effective ‘intensity-based’ cap.”
Renewable energy and energy efficiency:
“The proposed long-term commitment to a program to support eco-energy through home retrofits is a central demand from environmental organizations across the country. The program has lived through much uncertainty over recent years, and it is encouraging that the Liberal platform would increase funding and stability for this clean energy incentive indefinitely.”
“We also support the platform’s objective to quadruple the production of renewable energy in Canada between 2012 and 2017. This will require substantial investment given that existing programs to support the development of renewable energy have ended.”
Sustainable transport:
“We believe that the Liberals have missed an important opportunity with the absence of proposals related to sustainable transportation in their platform (public transit, electrification of the transportation system, and other types of sustainable transit). This continues to be a central issue for industrialized countries as they move towards clean energy economies and Canadians need leadership and defined policies to facilitate this transition.”
“The Liberal platform is not perfect, but it does indicate that there is political will to improve on issues of environmental protection, the clean energy economy and the fight against climate change.”
Equiterre will be analysing and commenting on all parties’ platforms during this electoral campaign.
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Source :
Marie-Eve Roy
Équiterre
514-378-0232
mroy@equiterre.org
