This is a pivotal point in history: Green Party unveils 2019 election platform

This is a pivotal point in history: Green Party unveils 2019 election platform
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The Green Party of Canada today released a campaign platform promising to tackle climate change by transitioning Canada to a green economy while also lifting Canadians out of poverty, abolishing tuition fees and bringing in national pharmacare.

Central to the Green plan are measures to address the “climate emergency” — a 20-step action plan called Mission: Possible that has been released already.

The platform offers a vision of a Canada in 2030 where homes and businesses are all powered by renewable energy, all new vehicles and public transit are electric and most food is locally sourced.

“It’s an exciting time to be alive because we actually can do all these things, but not with business as usual,” Green Party Leader Elizabeth May said during the platform launch event in Toronto.

May said the full budget and costing analysis for the platform will not be available until later this week because the Parliamentary Budget Officer is still “crunching the numbers” and the reporting must be translated.

Some of the initiatives would be financed by boosting the federal corporate tax rate to 21 per cent from the current 15 per cent. The current level of taxation for small businesses would remain the same.

Calling her party’s platform “comprehensive,” May also is proposing more affordable housing, electoral reform, improved Indigenous relations and a single-payer, universal pharmacare system.

“This is not a one-issue platform. It sets out a deep commitment and action plan to genuine truth, justice and reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples. The platform speaks to our immediate anxieties about affordability – in housing, prescription drugs and education.”

The Green Party also would eliminate fossil fuel subsidies worth several billion dollars annually, including those for liquefied natural gas (LNG), oil and gas projects and coal mining exploration and development.

May said that, despite a promise to eliminate federal subsidies a decade ago, they have actually expanded for fracking and LNG development. Under then-prime minister Stephen Harper, Canada was among the G20 countries that promised to phase out “inefficient” fossil fuel subsidies in 2009.

A Green government would halt all fossil fuel subsidies in its first year in office, she said.

May said that while she believes she is the best person to serve as prime minister, she conceded that prospect is unlikely.

She urged more parliamentary cooperation to accomplish real results and said she is not in the game for credit or to defeat the NDP.

“Overtaking the NDP isn’t a goal. Ensuring we have good government and a strong Parliament is our goal,” she said.

With files from CBC

 

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