Dear Mr. Ford - Repealing…

Dear Mr. Ford - Repealing the Climate Change Mitigation and Low-carbon Economy Act (CCMLEA) would be a very, very serious economic and political mistake. It would set Ontario back on the world economic stage: green energy and conservation is the future of global business, and should be encouraged by the government to the greatest extent possible. Furthermore, Ontarians have a responsibility to the rest of humanity - especially people in underdeveloped nations - to drastically cut greenhouse gas emissions. The IPCC report on climate change, released last week, states that we have 12 years to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions before the effects of climate change become irreversible. Undeniably there will be economic costs to reducing emission, but the humanitarian, ecological and ultimately economic toll if we do not will be horrific. The IPCC report was produced by 33 of the world’s leading researchers, reviewing 6,000 scientific references. The consequences of inaction are very frightening and incontrovertible. The effects of climate change are already being felt in Ontario, and are starting to cost Ontarians money and lives. You, as our premier, should be providing leadership in mitigating climate change and turning Ontario into a low-carbon economy. Whereas Bill 4 “establishes a requirement for the Minister to prepare a climate change plan”, this does not need to be done at the expense of the existing Act - rather, the Minister should be encouraged to develop new and improved initiatives, while maintaining the existing Act. It is also economically and socially irresponsible for the government to cancel initiatives that were being made under the Act. Repealing the Act will only temporarily and artificially prop up old, carbon-intensive industries and businesses - Ontarians need to change their business and individual behaviour drastically and quickly, and we need leadership from you to do it. There is the potential for Ontario to become a world leader in climate change mitigation, with the right incentives. On the other hand, failure to act will make Ontario a global economic and humanitarian embarrassment. Bill 4 needs to be rejected.