One resolution, proposed by the Quebec wing of the party, calls on a Liberal government to unconditionally commit to meeting the Kyoto Protocol targets, enacting legislation to reduce greenhouse gas emissions that would include 'establishing a carbon tax, a cap and trade system or a combination of both.
This one's not so good. Committing to Kyoto at this point is purely symbolic, and I'm not sure how effective the symbolism can be anymore. Copenhagen 2009 is the new game in town and things are looking a bit rocky. While I doubt that a pure collapse in talks is possible, you could wind up with something so watered down that the goals become purely aspirational, on a world-wide basis.
Why not commit to an aggressive Green approach in Copenhagen? Look forward, not backward.
As for the carbon tax, well you could change the phrasing to something like "and/or" and keep the tax as one possible policy tool. Or you could excise it entirely. As written, this sounds like its an inevitable part of the policy mix.
Another, proposed by the British Columbia wing of the party, calls on a Liberal government to consider 'all mechanisms of investment, incentive and taxation' to combat global warming and stimulate sustainable economic growth.
Love the "investment, incentive" part. The Federal Libs should be looking to Dalton McGuinty on this one. He has made a decision that our laid off auto workers are going to manufacture the machines that power tomorrow's green economy. Again, the reference to a carbon tax is optional, IMHO. Has it, in any form, been made toxic on account of The Green Shift?
I dunno. But I am glad to see that the party hasn't entirely given up on the issue. And I hope these resolutions send a signal to Mr. Ignatieff that he can't just blow it off. You wanna be Liberal leader, got gotta occasionally do something Liberal.
Note: Actually, Taylor has the entire Quebec resolution here. It is not as bad as I thought, although most of the points made above still apply.
"You wanna be Liberal leader, got gotta occasionally do something Liberal."
ReplyDeleteBe sure to wake us all when that happens.
:)
I like how you ignored the, potentially, most divisive policy initiative.
ReplyDeleteBut at least one resolution up for debate at the convention, proposed by the Quebec wing, could prove particularly unpopular in the West if Ignatieff were to adopt it.
It calls on a Liberal government to ensure "equitable sharing of natural resources." Provinces, particularly resource-rich Alberta and Saskatchewan, have always jealously guarded their natural resources, which are strictly under provincial jurisdiction, from federal intrusions.
Just try it!
Swear to god, Reid, I didn't see that one at all.
ReplyDeleteNot gonna happen, obviously.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDelete