Mr. Premier, please…

Mr. Premier, please reconsider this action. This is not what Ontarians want. We want a future.

In the words of ECO Dianne Saxe:

Contrary to the government’s obligations under the Environmental Bill of Rights, there was no consultation with Ontarians as the rug was pulled out from under climate action, and as clean energy projects were cancelled, leaving many First Nation communities high and dry.

Dismantling a climate change law that was working is bad for the environment, bad for our health, and bad for business.

Where do we go from here?

The government's proposed replacement climate law, Bill 4, the Cap and Trade Cancellation Act, is much too weak.

A meaningful climate law needs at least three critical elements:

· long-term science-based emission budgets consistent with the Paris Agreement,

· a legal obligation to stay within those budgets, and

· credible, transparent reporting to keep the work on track.

It would use three tools – polluter-pay, investing in solutions, and regulations – to drive down emissions and build a cleaner, more sustainable economy. And it must focus on large emissions sources which have real technology alternatives. The details are on page 41 of the report. The largest source is individuals, not industry, and no technology alternatives yet exist for about half of industry emissions.

Bill 4 has none of these features.

Instead, it promises undetermined action to achieve undetermined and easily changed targets at some undetermined future time, with no criteria or consequences. It is a license to do little or nothing in the face of our largest threat.