If this bill passes, it will…

If this bill passes, it will send a clear message. This Government does care about the future of Ontario and the planet. It is time that climate change is no longer seen as a partisan issue. Would you say the Earth was flat? Would you debate the existence of gravity? Make no mistake: acknowledging the existence of climate change does not come close to meeting the moral responsibility of a government. You may have admitted that you believe in it, but failing to take concrete action, cancelling a law discouraging the emission of carbon into our atmosphere without a clear plan in place proves that your government does not take climate change seriously. You may claim to do it when pressed, but your actions make it clear. Big business is a higher priority than the preservation of the Earth. For far too long, governments have sidelined climate change as a non-urgent issue. With the most recent report from the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, it is clear that the time to act is now. Regardless of political affiliations, climate change is an issue that will impact us all. Whether you're an environmentalist or a coal-burning tycoon we all live on the same planet and we all have a responsibility to take urgent action to prevent climate change. When a crisis arises, citizens expect the government to act. It may cost money, it may mean some fossil fuels executives reconsider their career path, but it will also mean that sea level rise is reduced, that forest fires occur less often, that millions of people don't lose access to water and that ecosystems aren't permanently lost.

It is clear what this government must do. It must build on climate policies. It should clarify them, rebuild them so that they create more impact, not destroy them to appease climate change deniers and Kathleen Wynne haters. Writing something to policy makers often feels like talking to a brick wall. When politicians have made up their minds, it can be pretty hard to change them. Hopefully, with enough outcry, climate change solutions will no longer be seen as an unnecessary hassle, but as a necessity for the preservation of our planet and livelihoods. One can only hope that this government cares about more than "efficiencies."