Climate Action Network Canada response to Liberal platform

April 3, 2011

“Ramping up investments in clean energy and efficiency, putting a cap on industrial greenhouse gas pollution, enforcing the west-coast oil tanker ban, and a faster phase-out of subsidies to big oil would all be important steps towards a cleaner future for all Canadians. We are glad to see that they are part of the Liberal platform.

We are especially encouraged by the proposal to indefinitely support home-retrofits for energy efficiency and restore investment in renewable energy that has largely disappeared at the federal level in recent years.

However, the Liberals missed an opportunity to put forward a strategy for sustainable transportation. We had also hoped to see more aggressive steps away from our dependence on dirty oil and the tar sands, and a more assertive phase-out of subsidies to big oil. The Liberal platform plans to accelerate a phase-out already underway, but does not go far enough towards ending the $1.4 billion in subsidies currently handed out each year. The platform also does not address Canada’s fair share of money to support poorer countries as they adapt to the impacts of climate change.

The energy and climate change aspects of the platform, although far from perfect, would help to fill gaping holes in Canada’s current approach to fighting climate change. Canadians need a safe and reliable clean energy future and we want to see all parties put these issues front and centre in the election and, most importantly, follow-through with these important promises if elected into office.”
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