Amend Policy G12-P26 National Energy Security Plan
Preamble
WHEREAS this is a motion to amend Policy G12-P26 "National Energy Security Plan;"
WHEREAS the negative effects of unchecked bitumen extraction in the Athabasca tar sands region are not limited to so-called "Dutch Disease" effects;
WHEREAS the jurisdiction to govern and collect royalties on petroleum production rests with the Provinces although the federal government has authority in the matters of environmental regulation and the transport of petroleum products across Provincial borders;
Operative
BE IT RESOLVED THAT the title "National Energy Security Plan" be replaced with "Canadian Petroleum Strategy" to better reflect the scope and purpose of this policy;
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT "force the establishment of a National Energy Security Plan" be replaced with "establish a Canadian Petroleum Strategy" for the same reasons;
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT "stopping the development of new tar sands extraction facilities to avoid the collapse of the employment market in other sectors (Dutch disease)" be replaced with "curbing the expansion of extraction operations in the Athabasca tar sands by withholding federal environmental approvals on the grounds that the industry undermines other industrial sectors, creates labour shortages and damages the environment and human health."
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT "Creating a heritage fund comprised of the royalty income derived from the exploitation of energy resources" be stricken;
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT "dedicating these funds first to research and deployment of an energy economy based on renewable energies, reduction of the country's energy consumption and the promotion of transit, rail transportation in particular" be stricken.
Background
The need to phase out fossil fuel use is universally agreed upon by all Greens, but the current reality is that Canadians are dependent on them and will continue to be until after a transition to renewable energy sources has begun. A bold strategy on petroleum will keep the Green Party relevant to the debate surrounding this issue and position us as leaders on the energy file.
The suggestion that the federal government collect royalties on petroleum production is political suicide in the West. It evokes raw memories of the 1980 National Energy Program which was viewed as a federal tax grab, infringement on an area under clear Provincial jurisdiction and--fairly or unfairly--responsible for the collapse of the oil patch in 1982. Incidentally, this political minefield has led successive federal governments to abdicate their role in environmental stewardship. The wording "Canadian Energy Strategy" is now preferred in order to sidestep the notion of the National Energy Program.
Similarly, the term "Dutch Disease" is politically controversial. The approach used in this motion is to spell out the effects of unchecked tar sands extraction rather than use a catch-all term whose meaning is not exactly applicable in Canada anyway.
Code
Proposal Type
Submitter Name
Party Commentary
This motions will substantially amend policy G12-P26. The motion is also complementary to motion G14-P26. For consistency and to avoid any contradictions, motions G14-P50 and G14-P26 would both need to pass.
Preamble
WHEREAS this is a motion to amend Policy G12-P26 "National Energy Security Plan;"
WHEREAS the negative effects of unchecked bitumen extraction in the Athabasca tar sands region are not limited to so-called "Dutch Disease" effects;
WHEREAS the jurisdiction to govern and collect royalties on petroleum production rests with the Provinces although the federal government has authority in the matters of environmental regulation and the transport of petroleum products across Provincial borders;
Operative
BE IT RESOLVED THAT the title "National Energy Security Plan" be replaced with "Canadian Petroleum Strategy" to better reflect the scope and purpose of this policy;
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT "force the establishment of a National Energy Security Plan" be replaced with "establish a Canadian Petroleum Strategy" for the same reasons;
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT "stopping the development of new tar sands extraction facilities to avoid the collapse of the employment market in other sectors (Dutch disease)" be replaced with "curbing the expansion of extraction operations in the Athabasca tar sands by withholding federal environmental approvals on the grounds that the industry undermines other industrial sectors, creates labour shortages and damages the environment and human health."
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT "Creating a heritage fund comprised of the royalty income derived from the exploitation of energy resources" be stricken;
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT "dedicating these funds first to research and deployment of an energy economy based on renewable energies, reduction of the country's energy consumption and the promotion of transit, rail transportation in particular" be stricken.
Sponsors
Background
The need to phase out fossil fuel use is universally agreed upon by all Greens, but the current reality is that Canadians are dependent on them and will continue to be until after a transition to renewable energy sources has begun. A bold strategy on petroleum will keep the Green Party relevant to the debate surrounding this issue and position us as leaders on the energy file.
The suggestion that the federal government collect royalties on petroleum production is political suicide in the West. It evokes raw memories of the 1980 National Energy Program which was viewed as a federal tax grab, infringement on an area under clear Provincial jurisdiction and--fairly or unfairly--responsible for the collapse of the oil patch in 1982. Incidentally, this political minefield has led successive federal governments to abdicate their role in environmental stewardship. The wording "Canadian Energy Strategy" is now preferred in order to sidestep the notion of the National Energy Program.
Similarly, the term "Dutch Disease" is politically controversial. The approach used in this motion is to spell out the effects of unchecked tar sands extraction rather than use a catch-all term whose meaning is not exactly applicable in Canada anyway.
Party Commentary
This motions will substantially amend policy G12-P26. The motion is also complementary to motion G14-P26. For consistency and to avoid any contradictions, motions G14-P50 and G14-P26 would both need to pass.