Green Canadians just might receive an early Christmas environmental present in the form of a government 'No Confidence Vote'. The Canadian Conservative government attempted to follow the lead of other countries by providing an economic stimulus to the Canadian economy, including buying up $75billion worth of bank mortgage debt to get credit moving in the market. For some though, especially the opposition parties, it hasn’t been enough.
The Conservative government economic statement made last Thursday had little in the way of economic stimulus, but much in the way of cuts. These cuts included removing the $1.95 per vote that political parties receive based on the votes they got in the last election. Such a cut would severely compromise the ability of the opposition parties (Green, NDP and Liberal) to fund future election campaigns, more so than the Conservatives who get much of their funding from other sources and via donations.
It probably came as little surprise that the major opposition parties seem to have been discussing the possibility of forming a coalition and calling for a vote of no confidence in the current government. Whether this is really in response to the lack of a stimulus package for the economy, due to the potential loss of party funding or simply a way to force another election, no one is really quite sure yet.
However, what does all this mean for the environment? Well, clearly the last election was mishandled by most parties when it came to discussing greenhouse gas emissions and what Canada should be doing to fight climate change. There was little discussion about a green economy either. For some people, the environment appeared to be the Achilles’ heel for the Liberals, though it gave the Greens a platform but no seats in parliament; and for others it was merely an annoyance.
On Friday and during the weekend, the Conservatives have back-stepped a lot, removing the proposal to cut the public funding of political parties and making statements about expanding a stimulus package for the economy and for the auto industry in particular.
What we really would like to hear, from all parties, is that there is some economic stimulus given to the renewable energy industry; green building practices, environmental conservation and investment in ‘green’ jobs. If the Conservatives cannot, or will not, see the green writing on the wall, and follow Obama’s lead on the green economy in the US, then perhaps a coalition government will. Does Canada always want to be dragged along by the US coat-tails, or play a wait-and-see approach to what the positive spin-off effects from America’s investments would be for Canada?
At the very least, let’s ask the politicians to discuss a wholehearted green investment strategy, from greening the auto industry to encourage, or legislate, plug-in hybrid and electric vehicles, to large-scale investment in renewable energy. The best stimulus for the Canadian economy would be a green one, and not throwing away more good dollars after bad dollars into the banking and industrial sectors without some green strings attached.
A vote of no confidence in the government may just be the eco-friendly Christmas present the green community has been waiting for.
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