Climate change is one of the…

Climate change is one of the most important issues of our time. Beyond the long-term impacts of mass extinction and the degradation of earth's biodiversity, climate change means mass migration to escape inhabitable environments, food insecurity and drought, and climate-related emergencies.

As a lifelong Ontarian, I once took pride in the province's progressive approach to policy. Bill 4 is yet another showcase of this current administration's myopic world view that places immediate gratification ahead of prudent long-term planning. It is not the job of government to implement policy that is most likely to excite its political base. Without an adequate alternative for long-term climate policy in place, it is clear Bill 4 is a blatant attempt to curry favour with political supporters.

Putting aside Bill 4's willful ignorance on the matter of climate change, this new legislation tells the world Ontario is not a place that can be home to clean energy innovation. For a government that prioritizes job creation, a clean energy economy would not only mean an opportunity to be featured on the global stage. Innovation means future job creation. In this space, specifically, it means sustainable job creation.

If a meaningful consultation happened, these factors may have been part of the decision-making process. The trend with this government, however, is to rush through legislation without pausing to consider the impact. All that matters is winning the press conference before being clapped off by interns to ensure these hasty decisions cannot be questioned by a free press. There is too much at stake to ignore any future beyond the next provincial election.