OTTAWA – The Green Party of Canada (GPC) Caucus has made it clear that it will not support the government in a vote of confidence unless the Liberals commit to a major decrease in Canada’s greenhouse gas emissions. The Green MPs are calling for a doubling of Canada's climate target reaching a 60% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, relative to 2005 levels, by 2030. The Paris Agreement requires that Canada improve its target in 2020. The current target, left by Harper's administration, is only half what is required to meet Paris goal of holding global average temperature to no more than a 1.5 degree C rise.
"The imperative of climate action requires that Finance Canada adopt a climate lens. Just as dealing with COVID-19 has brought Finance Canada into close alignment with public health goals, so too must the next phase be aligned with climate science," said Parliamentary Leader of the Green Party of Canada, Elizabeth May (MP, Saanich-Gulf Islands). "While that implies no new fossil fuel expansion and the shuttering of some existing operations, a Green economy leads to cleaner air, far more jobs and a more prosperous future than on-going dependence on fossil fuels."
The message was delivered in a recent meeting between Ms. May and the Honourable Chrystia Freeland, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance.
Greens are also looking for the Speech from the Throne on September 23rd to include a transition from COVID-19 support programs to a permanent Guaranteed Livable Income, new investments in mental health, affordable housing and seniors’ strategies that can be rolled out quickly. “We are also calling for the government to make reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples a priority and action to be taken to address systemic racism in Canada,” said Jenica Atwin, the MP for Fredericton.
"The Green Party of Canada has a robust plan Reimagining Our Future for restarting the economy that includes all Canadians, reaffirms our global commitments, and protects the planet that we all rely on," said Paul Manly, MP for Nanaimo Ladysmith. "We hope to see some of the ideas we have shared reflected in the Speech from the Throne."
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