Elections 2008 | Response from London North Centre Liberal Candidate Glen Pearson to our questionnaire

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gp-council-of-canadians-questionnaire

1. Are you aware of the status of the Canadian government’s national policy on water? What is your position on the commodification of water and Canada’s stance on the human right to water?

Canadians expect that when we turn on the tap, the water that comes out will be clean and safe to drink.

We want to be able to play on our beaches and swim in our lakes, without fear of exposure to toxic substances or raw sewage.

We want to maintain our rich agricultural and industrial productivity – which rely heavily on water – and, of course, we want to ensure the aquatic animal and plant life in our ecosystems remains healthy and plentiful.

Despite some important improvements over the past decade, many of our waterways are still degraded because of contaminants and inadequate treatment of sewage. New threats are emerging as toxic substances in products or pharmaceuticals accumulate in our water systems, and as climate change lowers water levels and puts ecosystems under threat. And the water needs of rapidly increasing energy production – particularly in the oil sands — are huge.

That’s why we need bold action to protect our water, and that’s what a Liberal

government will provide. We will implement a National Water Strategy using

regulations, monitoring, enforcement and new investment, to clean up our waterways – and keep them clean.

Our substantial infrastructure commitments will help our cities and communities to invest in much needed water-treatment infrastructure to manage water demand and preserve a clean water supply.

In addition, a Liberal government will invest $400 million in a Canada Water

Fund.

This new initiative will:

• increase monitoring and reporting of the quantity and quality of Canadian water

• clean up our waterways, including “hot spots” in the Great Lakes, the St.

Lawrence and Lake Winnipeg

• research the impact of emerging pollutants

2. Would you support renegotiating NAFTA? If so, what parts of the agreement would you like to see renegotiated and why?

Liberals have no plans to re-open NAFTA. In most sectors of the economy, NAFTA is working well, but it is not without some problems. The recent softwood lumber dispute is a recent example, where the U.S. ignored rulings by the NAFTA panel.

Should one of the other partners in NAFTA, most likely the United States, choose to reopen NAFTA to new negotiations, Liberals would be prepared to negotiate in Canada’s best interests, including addressing some of the imperfections in the present agreement.

The U.S. will always be Canada’s largest trading partner, but we believe Canada must also diversify its trade and investment activities. We are committed to multilateral negotiations through the World Trade Organization, but with the recent breakdown of those talks during the Doha round, we need to pursue other bilateral trade agreements.

Liberals are committed to the principle of free trade, but we also believe that the environment, human rights and corporate responsibility are critical considerations in the negotiation of free trade agreements.

3. Would you support changes in our health care system to allow more private-sector participation, or do you believe that our health care system should be run on a not-for-profit basis? Why? Can you outline what you would do to keep the private sector out of our national health care system?

A Liberal government will enforce both the spirit and letter of the Canada Health Act so that patients can be confident that they will receive the care they need when they need it, regardless of ability to pay, where they live, or the nature of their illness.

As always, the Liberal Party of Canada believes in a publicly-funded health care system, and remains firmly committed to the five fundamental principles of the Canada Health Act – universality, accessibility, comprehensiveness, portability and public administration.

Through a patient-centered approach that anchors the federal government as the champion of a publicly funded health care system, we will ensure patients receive access to care based on need, and not ability to pay.

Canadians clearly expect the federal government to exercise “national interest oversight” to ensure that the health care system continues to reflect both the letter and the spirit of the Act. Extra-billing, user charges and queue-jumping for medically necessary insured services are prohibited under the Act and are subject to mandatory dollar-for-dollar penalties.

4. What do you feel is the best role for Canada in the Afghanistan conflict? Or should Canada withdraw it’s troops?

The Liberal Party remains committed to helping the people of Afghanistan as they work to build a stable, secure and democratic country. We are proud of the efforts of the men and women in uniform and the civilians who have taken up this challenge. The Liberal caucus took the lead in drafting and passing the motion in Parliament on the mission in Afghanistan. Our changes to the motion forced the Conservative government to accept our views that: the mission needs to change so there is a greater emphasis on training, security and reconstruction; the military mission in Kandahar needed to have a firm end date of 2011; and the government must go beyond an exclusively military focus in its approach to Afghanistan by increasing efforts with respect to development and international diplomacy.

The Liberal amendments also imposed a greater commitment to transparency and accountability on the government. Too often, the Conservatives have not been forthcoming with Canadians about developments in Afghanistan, particularly with respect to such crucial issues as the treatment of detainees transferred by Canadians to Afghan authorities. This lack of transparency and accountability has harmed both our international credibility and domestic support for our efforts in Afghanistan. Under a Liberal government, this approach will change and we will be guided by the both the letter and the spirit of the resolution that was passed in the House.

We will also ensure that our international partners understand the nature and extent of the commitment that CanadaCanada must maintain a long-term commitment to the people of Afghanistan, we will be unequivocal that we cannot continue to be asked to shoulder the bulk of the responsibility in Kandahar indefinitely. We will ensure that it is understood that Canada’s commitment to maintain a military presence in Kandahar will end by July 2011. has made. We will not say one thing to a domestic audience and another to our allies. Although we understand that

5. What concrete steps would your federal party government take to reduce poverty in London, and across the country? How actively would you participate in this effort?

As you may know, I have been involved in fighting poverty here in London for the past 20 years as Volunteer Director of the London Food Bank.  In that time, we have managed to turn our Food Bank into one of the largest in the province which has helped feed thousands of people and families in and around London.  However in many ways, this is not something we necessarily want to brag about.  Poverty is abundant in this country and ideally I’d prefer to see a world that doesn’t require food banks.  That being said, I am so hopeful for the future due to the Liberal action plan on poverty, our 30/50 plan.

When we fail to address the scourge of poverty, we hold back our own potential as a society. By lifting our fellow Canadians out of poverty, we will ensure that they are not prevented from realizing their true potential for the benefit of the entire society. We must ensure that no Canadian is prevented from making their full contribution to our economy and to our communities because of poverty.

As we compete with international giants, Canada cannot afford to miss the opportunity of every possible contribution from every citizen.

A Liberal government will enact the 30-50 Plan to Fight Poverty, a full-scale attack on poverty. Our strategy to decrease poverty will reward Canadians who want to go to work every day to provide for their families and contribute to Canadians society. Our current tax system does a poor job of ensuring that working Canadians are kept out of poverty, and can live in dignity and provide for their children. We need to do better.

Within our first term, we will reduce the number of people living below the poverty line by at least 30 percent, so that 1 million more Canadians are better able to realize their potential. And we will reduce the number of children living in poverty by at least 50 percent, to give nearly 400,000 children a better chance in life.

6. What would you commit to do to, at the federal government level that would help in the goal to assist the City of London to achieve status as a sustainable city?

A federal government must not just do things for cities but must bring them on as full partners in the federalist model.  Cities must be acknowledged as the engine of economic growth and prosperity.
The Martin government had initially established this model, but it must now be built upon.  The Conservatives have come into Canadian cities and have made a host of special infrastructure announcements.  The difference is that the Liberal Party understands that these types of ill-conceived announcements can actually do cities a disservice because it doesn’t lead to sustained funding for such initiatives.

A Liberal government will develop an Infrastructure Bank as an additional tool to finance infrastructure investment. This bank will provide low-cost financing for all levels of government that choose to borrow from it and will help finance long-term green infrastructure projects such as regional energy grids and high speed rail links in Canada’s busiest commuter corridors.

Canadians across the country would have the opportunity to participate in the Bank’s projects through the purchase of tax-free Green Bonds similar to Canada Savings Bonds.

We must address the fiscal imbalance once and for all.  A Liberal government will take an approach that places an emphasis on consultation, cooperation, partnership and respect for each government’s role and responsibility. There will always be competing views, but these diverse views do not need to result in a combative and unproductive relationship.

Most importantly, we will work with the provinces to be a true partner for the benefit of the Canadian people as we work to build an economy that is ready for the challenges and opportunities of the 21st century.

7. Are you in favour of a National Energy Strategy? Could you outline your thoughts on this in summary?

The world economy is becoming increasingly energy constrained and competitive. Countries that adopt decisive, sustainable strategies will lead the way. Canada must be one of these countries and the Liberal plan will ensure that it is.

Today, less than five percent of Canada’s power today comes from renewable energy. We need to do dramatically better. A Liberal government will ensure that Canada embraces green energy solutions, helping us make the shift from polluting energy to cleaner sources, in order to remain competitive in the carbon-constrained global economy of the future.

A Liberal government will ensure that Canada has access to the technologies it needs to become a clean energy superpower. We will provide a Renewable Power Production Incentive that will more than double the non-emitting energy sources.

available to Canadians with a goal of having 12,000 Megawatts – that’s 10 percent

of Canada’s total electricity output – come from low-impact renewable sources

by 2015 and 15 percent by 2020. These incentives will generate more than $25 billion in clean energy investment and tens of thousands of new, well-paid jobs for Canadians.

A portion of this incentive will be directed to support renewable energy in Northern and remote communities, which currently rely on diesel generators. With projects that could meet about 10 percent of all electricity demand in remote communities, we will eliminate the need for hundreds of millions of litres of imported diesel fuel.

We will also use the purchasing power of federal operations to help accelerate the market by establishing minimum targets across the federal government for the purchase of energy from green sources. In recent years, companies exploring in the oil sands have been receiving a special tax break on their investments, which was designed to take into account the risks linked to a new and untested technology to develop the oil sands. This can no longer be justified in an era where the technology is well-established, with oil worth over $100 a barrel and billions in oil profits.

A Liberal government will immediately end the special tax treatment for oil sands development. However, oil companies that invest in technologies that reduce their greenhouse gas emissions will benefit from our new accelerated capital cost allowance that rewards such green investments.

8. Would you be prepared to support some form of electoral reform, such as the system suggested for the province of Ontario during the last election, at the federal government level? Would you support the establishment of a citizens committee to look into what system would be the most appropriate national proportional representation system?

The Liberal Party considers all proposals for electoral and democratic reform seriously, and makes no decisions based purely on partisan ideas or rhetoric.

We place a premium on electoral fairness and equitable voter access.

We might be willing to support some form of electoral reform or a citizens committee, but it would have to be proposed in a serious and realistic manner. We would definitely be open to hearing any such proposals.

9. Given the very serious negative effects on our environment flowing out of the intensive agriculture industry (factory farming), would you be prepared to support a moratorium on any further permits or expansions?

The expansion of farms is not regulated so we cannot permit or not permit the expansion of farms. Farmers simply buy land and expand. There are some laws on manure and certainly regulations on stream management but it is provincial jurisdiction.
This is not a case of trying to pass the buck, but it truly is the province’s jurisdiction.

That being said the Liberal Party of Canada has committed to helping Canada’s agricultural sector including;

·         $400 million over four years for refundable tax credits to industries such as farming that are achieving real, verified reductions in their emissions.

·         $400-million Water Fund to help deal with water shortages on farms.

·         $250-million Green Farms Fund to provide rebates that will reduce the up-front cost of these new green technologies and invest in research for future agricultural practices.

10. And last but most importantly. We have seen many accounts, before and during this election campaign, in print, on the web and expressed verbally from your party representatives with respect to how your party has elected to deal with the real and urgent problem of climate change and global warming. Will you, in the most clear and succinct way possible, let us know – how confident

Canadians don’t shy away from big challenges and there is none greater that the one we face now, that of reconciling economic growth and the health of our planet.  Only the Liberal Party of Canada has offered a real and balanced approach to link the three key pillars of our country’s success; that of economic prosperity, social justice and environmental sustainability.

We need to establish firm targets to cut emissions in the short, medium and long term.

A Liberal government will:

• respect our commitments and international obligations under the United

Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change

• reduce greenhouse gas emissions to at least 20 percent below 1990 levels

by 2020, and increasing this goal to at least 25 percent if other countries

make comparable efforts

• reduce greenhouse gas emissions to 40 percent below 1990 emission levels

by 2035

• reduce greenhouse gas emissions to 60 to 80 percent below 1990 emission

levels by 2050.

Stephane Dion has given us a chance to bring Canada back – to introduce meaning back into citizen engagement. And every citizen will be engaged rather than just observing, because like it or not, all of us will now be the key agents for battling climate change. This idea doesn’t sound crazy to me, and whatever the merits or faults you may see in Dion’s plan, it is a solid plan and it is serious. Londoners are among the smartest, most ingenious, most industrious people in this country. We are privileged. We have access to the best tools with top notch research and education facilities. We’re rich in potential. We have no reason to shrink from this challenge. It’s the moment I’ve been waiting for … and my biggest assumption is that I believe I’m not alone.

I would urge everyone to visit www.thegreenshift.ca to learn more about the Liberal Party’s plan for the environment and how it must be clearly linked with both our economy and our social justice policies.

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