Canadians of all political stripes want a strong economy and a healthy environment, so there’s no reason to make environment a partisan issue, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau told the opening session of the GLOBE clean technology conference in Vancouver earlier today.
“It’s important to acknowledge our partners in Canada’s provincial legislatures,” Trudeau said, “premiers who have led the push to phase out coal power in Ontario and Alberta and put a price on carbon in Quebec and here in British Columbia.” He stressed that “these are politicians of different stripes and different beliefs. But they come together on this issue.”
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He said the federal government will invest $75 million over five years to help municipalities respond to climate change, and another $50 million for greener building and infrastructure codes.
Trudeau was in Vancouver ahead of a First Ministers’ meeting that will set the broad lines of the pan-Canadian climate framework the PM promised at the United Nations summit in Paris.
“The choice between pipelines and wind turbines is a false one,” he told GLOBE participants. “We need both to reach our goal. And as we continue to ensure there is a market for our natural resources, our deepening commitment to a cleaner future will be a valuable advantage.”
