A researcher from Simon Fraser University who presented at the Penticton Lakeside Resort on Thursday said the Trudeau Liberals are the sa国际传媒渇irst climate sincere federal government that Canada has had.sa国际传媒�

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 sa国际传媒渃limate sinceresa国际传媒� politicians.

She went on to compare the election sa国际传媒渇rontrunners,sa国际传媒� who she said were the Justin Trudeau Liberals and Andrew Scheer Conservatives.

READ MORE:

Compared to the Trudeau Liberalssa国际传媒� 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 Liberalssa国际传媒� clean fuel standard to achieve 30 million tonnes of annual reductions in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030, the Conservatives have said they will sa国际传媒渨ork to increase the availability and use of renewable fuels.sa国际传媒�

sa国际传媒淭his is an example of the kind of statement you might see where yousa国际传媒檇 say, sa国际传媒楬ow will we do that exactly?sa国际传媒檚a国际传媒� Murphy said.

And compared to the Liberalssa国际传媒� output-based pricing system designed to ensure there is a price incentive for companies to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions, she said the Conservatives havensa国际传媒檛 yet defined the stringency of emissions standards they would set for large industry.

The Conservativessa国际传媒� 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 sa国际传媒渃limate insinceresa国际传媒� and predicted that if they were to come to power, greenhouse gas emissions would increase between 2020 and 2030.

READ MORE:

sa国际传媒淏ased on those criteria, (the Trudeau Liberals) are the first climate sincere federal government that Canada has had,sa国际传媒� she said.

She also acknowledged the Trudeau Liberalssa国际传媒� controversial purchase of the Trans Mountain pipeline, and a sa国际传媒渃hipping awaysa国际传媒� on promising regulations.

sa国际传媒淓ven in British Columbia, maybe the most environmentally-forward jurisdiction of the country with this NDP-Green coalition, wesa国际传媒檙e seeing the same thing as well,sa国际传媒� she said, adding that the coalition has put some good policies in place, but their vehicle emissions and low carbon fuel standards are weak.

sa国际传媒淪o some evidence I think of really sa国际传媒榗limate sinceresa国际传媒� governments who get worn down by all of these other pressures,sa国际传媒� she said, noting conflicting interests that discourage join action and timelines. sa国际传媒淚 think this leaves us with a huge role for activism.sa国际传媒�

Murphy said she didnsa国际传媒檛 go into detail about the NDP or Green Party platforms because sa国际传媒渋t is different writing a climate change plan when you know yousa国际传媒檙e not going to form government.sa国际传媒�

READ MORE:

After the event, South Okanagan West Kootenay NDP MP Richard Cannings told the Western News itsa国际传媒檚 not surprising that the Liberal policies are better than the Conservative ones.

sa国际传媒淪he didnsa国际传媒檛 really talk about the NDP or the Greenssa国际传媒� options, which I think are the real sa国际传媒榗limate sinceresa国际传媒� parties,sa国际传媒� Cannings said.

Green Party candidate Tara Howse said she was disappointed Murphy didnsa国际传媒檛 look at all five platforms.

sa国际传媒淚tsa国际传媒檚 a little disappointing because the Green Party is the only platform that actually meets the (International Energy Conservation Code) targets,sa国际传媒� she said.

Howse added she was sa国际传媒渟hockedsa国际传媒� Murphy still classified the Trudeau Liberals as sa国际传媒渃limate sinceresa国际传媒� after the purchase of the pipeline.

sa国际传媒淚n the context of doublespeak, of declaring an emergency and then purchasing a pipeline and then calling that sa国际传媒榮incere climate,sa国际传媒� that is disappointing to me,sa国际传媒� she said, adding that it speaks to the amount of corporate influence driving the fossil fuel industry.

sa国际传媒淭he Green Party is very explicitly saying we need to end that.sa国际传媒�

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.

READ MORE:

karissa.gall@blackpress.ca
Like us on and follow us on

To report a typo, email: editor@pentictonwesternnews.com.