Dianne Saxe stresses urgent need for ambitious climate action at RNAO & CAPE-ON debate

April 20, 2022

TORONTO — Yesterday evening, Deputy Leader Dianne Saxe made it clear that Ontario Greens are the only party with a climate plan that is ambitious and honest enough to tackle the severe threat of the climate emergency, and capitalize on its opportunities.

“Ontario Greens are the only party that’s serious about the climate crisis,” Saxe said at the debate co-hosted by the Registered Nurses’ Association of Ontario (RNAO) and the Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment’s Ontario Chapter (CAPE-ON).

“We have a thorough climate and environment plan for real action on what matters most. It’s too late for tweaks and half measures. The old-line parties have had lots of time, but they don’t get the job done.”

Saxe exposed the Liberal and NDP records on key climate and environment issues like the “ticking time bomb” Line 5 pipeline that both parties failed to vote against, as well as Doug Ford’s licence plate sticker election gimmick that incentivizes car use, which both old parties supported.

“We have to look at the way the other parties behave, not just what they say,” Saxe stressed. “Instead of gimmicks, Ontario Greens stand for real climate action.”

Saxe spelled out the direct link between the climate emergency and other key challenges like housing and health. “A climate and environment lens gives us the trigger, the opportunity to address so many issues,” Saxe said. “Despite what others might say, climate isn’t a narrow issue — it affects everything.

“The real risk isn’t from taking action, the real risk is from dragging our feet,” Saxe said, noting that the World Health Organization has repeatedly reported that whatever it costs to get off fossil fuels, we will save twice as much with health benefits, for example.

“Instead of wasting billions of dollars repeating last century’s mistakes, like highways and sprawl, let’s get ready for Ontario to be a winner In the new climate economy.”

To see the full Ontario Greens’ Roadmap to Net-Zero climate plan: gpo.ca/climate

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