A researcher from Simon Fraser University who presented at the Penticton Lakeside Resort on Thursday said the Trudeau Liberals are the 鈥渇irst climate sincere federal government that Canada has had.鈥�
Dr. Rose Murphy, who specializes in developing models to evaluate government policies for reducing energy consumption and greenhouse emissions, spoke to approximately 125 people at a climate change event hosted by not-for-profit First Things First Okanagan on Oct. 3.
In the upcoming federal election, she said individuals concerned about climate change should vote for 鈥渃limate sincere鈥� politicians.
She went on to compare the election 鈥渇rontrunners,鈥� who she said were the Justin Trudeau Liberals and Andrew Scheer Conservatives.
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Compared to the Trudeau Liberals鈥� federal backstop carbon price, which includes levying a tax of $20 on every tonne of greenhouse gas emissions starting this year, rising by $10 each year to $50 a tonne by 2022, she said the Scheer Conservatives promise free carbon pollution everywhere except B.C. and Quebec.
Compared to the Liberals鈥� clean fuel standard to achieve 30 million tonnes of annual reductions in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030, the Conservatives have said they will 鈥渨ork to increase the availability and use of renewable fuels.鈥�
鈥淭his is an example of the kind of statement you might see where you鈥檇 say, 鈥楬ow will we do that exactly?鈥欌�� Murphy said.
And compared to the Liberals鈥� output-based pricing system designed to ensure there is a price incentive for companies to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions, she said the Conservatives haven鈥檛 yet defined the stringency of emissions standards they would set for large industry.
The Conservatives鈥� climate plan, she said, includes actions that are assumed to happen without carbon pricing and mostly without regulations, and uses vague language, making policy difficult to forecast.
She criticized the Conservatives calling them 鈥渃limate insincere鈥� and predicted that if they were to come to power, greenhouse gas emissions would increase between 2020 and 2030.
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鈥淏ased on those criteria, (the Trudeau Liberals) are the first climate sincere federal government that Canada has had,鈥� she said.
She also acknowledged the Trudeau Liberals鈥� controversial purchase of the Trans Mountain pipeline, and a 鈥渃hipping away鈥� on promising regulations.
鈥淓ven in British Columbia, maybe the most environmentally-forward jurisdiction of the country with this NDP-Green coalition, we鈥檙e seeing the same thing as well,鈥� she said, adding that the coalition has put some good policies in place, but their vehicle emissions and low carbon fuel standards are weak.
鈥淪o some evidence I think of really 鈥榗limate sincere鈥� governments who get worn down by all of these other pressures,鈥� she said, noting conflicting interests that discourage join action and timelines. 鈥淚 think this leaves us with a huge role for activism.鈥�
Murphy said she didn鈥檛 go into detail about the NDP or Green Party platforms because 鈥渋t is different writing a climate change plan when you know you鈥檙e not going to form government.鈥�
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After the event, South Okanagan West Kootenay NDP MP Richard Cannings told the Western News it鈥檚 not surprising that the Liberal policies are better than the Conservative ones.
鈥淪he didn鈥檛 really talk about the NDP or the Greens鈥� options, which I think are the real 鈥榗limate sincere鈥� parties,鈥� Cannings said.
Green Party candidate Tara Howse said she was disappointed Murphy didn鈥檛 look at all five platforms.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a little disappointing because the Green Party is the only platform that actually meets the (International Energy Conservation Code) targets,鈥� she said.
Howse added she was 鈥渟hocked鈥� Murphy still classified the Trudeau Liberals as 鈥渃limate sincere鈥� after the purchase of the pipeline.
鈥淚n the context of doublespeak, of declaring an emergency and then purchasing a pipeline and then calling that 鈥榮incere climate,鈥� that is disappointing to me,鈥� she said, adding that it speaks to the amount of corporate influence driving the fossil fuel industry.
鈥淭he Green Party is very explicitly saying we need to end that.鈥�
First Things First Okanagan will be hosting an all-candidates debate on Oct. 15 at the Penticton Lakeside Resort. Residents are invited to participate in a roundtable discussion about environmental issues from 6:15 to 6:45 p.m., with the debate starting at 7 p.m.
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karissa.gall@blackpress.ca
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