James Beddome, Leader, Green Party of Manitoba
by James Beddome, Leader, Green Party of Manitoba
This new PC government has had some time to settle in; it is now time for them to start delivering details and results.
Pallister promised to make poverty a central them of his Government, and although there was some mention in his recent Throne Speech of addressing poverty , particularly for young people, there was not enough detail to determine what exactly will be done, or how planned government cuts will impact those who are most vulnerable.
The Conservatives committed to implementing a price on greenhouse gas emissions in their election platform as well as during the last Throne Speech, but here we are a Throne Speech later and the government continues to recycle the same vague promise with no further details on what exactly it intends to do. We need details and implementation instead of government inaction.
The implementation of a carbon tax in British Columbia has been good for the economy. A $50 a tonne carbon tax in Manitoba would raise more than a half a billion per year, and this money could be used to invest in projects that reduce greenhouse gas emissions, reduce taxes elsewhere, or pay down debt.
The surest route to fundamentally fixing our finances is to address inequality and confront planetary limits, and only Greens are prepared to meet those challenges head on.