VANCOUVER – Days after dozens of countries walked out on Canada during climate change talks in Thailand, Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff today outlined his vision for a cleaner Canada that will rebuild our place in the world as a leader in environmental stewardship and clean energy.
“We need to power Canada on clean energy. Clean energy is jobs. It’s trade. It’s rebuilding our place in the world and leaving Canada stronger and more prosperous than we’ve ever been,” Mr. Ignatieff said in a speech to the Vancouver Board of Trade.
“At the heart of our next platform will be the most significant national investment in clean energy jobs this country has ever seen. This starts with a relentless commitment to renewable power.”
In his speech, Mr. Ignatieff said he would make renewable power a national priority by working with business, communities and all orders of government to design incentives that encourage new renewable power projects. This starts with a renewed commitment to renewable power production incentives that Conservatives are now failing to fund.
“We need to build from the entrepreneurship and ingenuity that’s out there to take Canadian ideas to the world. And we will,” he said. “We also need to work with the provinces and territories to be a catalyst for promising new technologies.
“Canadians are embracing the clean-energy revolution that’s coming right at us. It’s about time the federal government did the same ,” he said, ”The Conservatives are waiting for recovery, waiting for the private economy to pick up the slack when the public investment winds down. Liberals believe in a more active vision – that we must invest now to make recovery sustainable and enduring.”
Mr. Ignatieff’s plan would invest in clean energy in new and traditional sectors, help businesses and families become more energy efficient, and enforce mandatory clean-energy procurement standards on the federal government.
Landmark investments would be made in clean energy infrastructure – such as “smart” electrical grids – emerging technologies that clean up our fossil fuels and in energy-efficient new technologies for use by industries, he said.
“Canada is one of the best places in the world to live, but we should be doing better than we are now. We can do better,” he said. “Either we act, or we spend the next decade wishing we had. Because clean energy changes everything. Not getting into the game is like taking a pass on the Internet back in 1995, and investing in transistor radios.
“We must protect our environment. We must protect our economy. We must be ready to compete and ready to lead. We can’t afford the price of indifference,” he said.
BACKGROUND
A Liberal government will make clean energy a national priority. We will:
• work with business, communities and all orders of government to design incentives that encourage new renewable power projects;
• work with the provinces and territories to expand financial incentives for use of wave, tidal, geothermal, biomass and other renewable technologies;
• take leadership by working with provinces to establish a cap and trade system, with hard caps, that can be harmonized with the U.S.;
• invest aggressively in emerging technologies that clean our fossil fuels, such as carbon capture and sequestration;
• increase commitments to Canadian research and innovation;
• tackle the challenges in our venture capital markets to drive more private investment to clean energy entrepreneurs;
• help manufacturers invest in plant and machinery to get energy-efficient new technologies onto factory floors
• seek out new export markets for clean-energy technologies—in China and India and other new economic giants;
• enhance our commitment to our Pacific Gateway to build bridges to new markets and new opportunities;
• set mandatory clean-energy procurement standards across the federal government (ie. government vehicles will be electric, government buildings will be energy-efficient, introduce telecommuting to our public service to keep cars off the road).