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Green Party of Ontario leader Mike Schreiner issued the following statement in response to today’s Speech from the Throne:
“The Liberal government must turn their talk on climate change into action. Although I’m encouraged by the government’s talk about the need to address climate change in today’s Speech from the Throne, the Liberals have a history of failing to turn talk into action.
My hope is that today’s speech is a signal that the government is finally ready to have an honest conversation about the need to put a price on carbon pollution. Many economists, scientist and business leaders agree that a price on carbon is the most effective way to address climate change. A number of corporations have already incorporated carbon pricing into their business plans.
The Green Party’s platform presented concrete plans to address the two largest sources of greenhouse gas pollution in Ontario–transportation and buildings–while creating jobs.
If the government is serious about addressing climate change, I’m more than happy to have them adopt the GPO’s plan to put a price on carbon pollution, honestly pay for transit expansion and operating costs, and aggressively invest in home retrofits instead of nuclear refurbishments.
The increasing number of extreme weather events demonstrates the need to make our local economies and communities more resilient. The Green Party will push the new government to do this by lowering payroll taxes on small business, protecting farmland and water, and investing the infrastructure of the future, not the past.
With Ontario’s outdated electoral system, the Liberals now have 100 percent of the power after receiving only 38 percent of the votes. The Green Party is committed to sharing new ideas with the new government. My hope is that the government is ready to listen to the hundreds of thousands of Green voters who want to change the status quo.”
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Media contact: Anna Defina
416.977.7476
annadefina@gpo.ca