Outlining the federal NDP’s green new deal was the centrepiece of a recent town hall meeting in Powell River.
Seeking to promote discussion of the links between fighting climate change and fighting income inequality, New Westminster-Burnaby MP Peter Julian kicked off his BC tour to advocate for his green new deal legislation. Julian, along with North Island-Powell River MP Rachel Blaney, highlighted the deal at the meeting on Friday, July 26.
“The green new deal is the call for an ambitious government-led mobilization to make the investments necessary to stop climate change and profound income inequality,” said Julian. “By making public investments in renewable energy, housing retrofits and electric vehicles, we can drastically reduce our carbon emissions, while creating well-paying, unionized jobs. The green new deal is about saving our planet, while making sure Canadians, especially workers in carbon-heavy twilight industries, are given good job opportunities in our new green economy.”
Blaney said the green new deal speaks to a need people have to talk about where society is moving in terms of the environment, and the concerns that are raised.
“This is an opportunity for me to work with Peter Julian and to bring forward what the NDP have proposed in the House of Commons,” said Blaney. “What I’m hoping to get out of it is further discussion and any input people may have on what next steps we need to take. What I like about the green new deal proposal is it talks about looking at clear targets to move towards that we need to be getting to much sooner than a lot of what we’ve heard from the current government.”
The green new deal also talks about how workers can be engaged in a more meaningful way as the transition is moved through.
“Often, what I see happen is the discussions about the environment become arguments between the environment, and jobs and employment,” said Blaney. “I want to see that conversation move forward towards ‘how do we need to protect the environment and what are the new jobs awaiting us on the other side?’ A lot of information is telling us there are trillions of dollars projected to be spent in greening and diversifying our economy and working with the environment.”
Blaney said she thinks it’s important that, as Canadians, the discussion is occurring because it’s about saving the planet, looking forward for the youth and young people. At the same time, it’s also important to look at where the economy is moving and how Canadians need to be part of that, she added.
“I know in Powell River, the community has come together several times to talk about what their vision is for the future and their concerns around the environment,” said Blaney. “This [town hall] is just one more conversation and I appreciate all of the organizations and groups that have been working so hard to move that conversation forward.”
Blaney said linkages between all levels of government are key. When she looks at the practical application, solutions are local.
“It’s fundamental that the federal government be working with communities around what that looks like,” said Blaney.
She said she is excited to hear from people about what next steps need to be taken. Blaney has brought up the environment a number of times in the House of Commons and wants to see practical solutions.
“We need to incentivize and encourage but we also need hard targets where people must meet them,” said Blaney. “It’s one of these things where we must do it for the planet. We need to find innovative new ways to move forward.”
In April of this year, Julian tabled Motion 232 in the House of Commons, calling on Parliamentarians to support a Canadian green new deal. It remains the first and only legislation before the House of Commons advocating for a green new deal. The motion is based on the resolution submitted in the United States Congress by representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez from New York and senator Ed Markey from Massachusetts.
Julian’s motion specifies that the green new deal will respect agreements, treaties and meaningful reconciliation with First Nations, Métis, and Inuit people, and must be developed in wide consultation and collaboration, including labour unions, worker cooperatives, academia and businesses. Julian’s green new deal tour will also be encouraging Canadians to share their vision for what positive change could look like under a green new deal.
